


Eclipse

by Bangtanbananas



Category: Big Bang (Band), EXO (Band), Red Velvet (K-pop Band), f(x), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Hunters, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Bottom Jeon Jungkook, Breathplay, Drama & Romance, Fluff and Smut, Light Angst, M/M, Mating, Mating Bites, Non-Graphic Violence, Post-Rut Behavior, Rimming, Rough Sex, Slow Burn, Top Kim Taehyung | V
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-02-22 16:26:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 91,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13170726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bangtanbananas/pseuds/Bangtanbananas
Summary: After the tragic death of his parents, Jeon Jeongguk hated werewolves.The last thing he ever expected was to fall in love with one.





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Hello hello! As indicated by the tags and everything, this is our FIRST Taekook chaptered fic (!!!) and it involves werewolves and vampires and other supernatural things as well as incredible slow burn! :D No joke, it's SLOW. But that's what makes it good, right? Especially if it involves Taekook? 
> 
> Anyways, this idea has been on our minds since the summer and we're focusing on this for the time being. It's been awhile since our last chaptered fic, and we thought it would be nice to switch things up and finally write Taekook again. :) We love them, of course, and it's about time we show them more love! 
> 
> This involves a lot of fandoms and will include a few more by the end of this fic. Everyone will mostly be mentioned throughout, and we hope that it gives a level of dynamics close to what we had in Spring Day (although that was only EXO.) It's actually been quite a challenge and continues to be one, but we're pushing through, and hopefully posting the first couple chapters will keep us motivated!!
> 
> Also, you can find our inspiration thread [here](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas/status/928063880554827776) and the moodboard [here](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas/status/926969153604505600). We will be updating as we go with characters and the settings to provide visuals for what is happening in this fic. :)
> 
> Without further ado, enjoy the first chapter of Eclipse!

 

  
  
  


Sometimes Jeongguk wonders what kind of life he’d have if he’d been born into a normal family. 

 

It’s not that he regrets the way things have turned out, but juggling university classes, dance team practices, and training to hunt supernatural creatures is proving to be a lot more difficult than he thought. At this point, he’d rather drop out of school altogether and make hunting his full-time job like most of his hyungs and noonas, but Seokjin won’t hear of it. He thinks it’s important to try and integrate into society like most other kids his age, says that Jeongguk will regret not having these life experiences, that this will build character.

 

He thinks that most of that is bullshit.

 

Slaving over physics homework and long-winded essays isn’t going to help him properly stake a vampire, or give him the lightning quick reflexes to take out a banshee.

 

But for Seokjin’s sake, he tries to keep up appearances, even if he doesn’t have much of a social life outside of going to classes and dance practice several times a week.

 

Today is one of those tightly packed schedules, and even though it’s only 1pm Jeongguk feels his eyelids getting heavier and heavier as his chemistry professor lectures the class about the importance of moles and significant figures. He should be taking notes, but the idea of putting a pencil between his fingers and scratching out characters in his notebook is even more exhausting.

 

He doesn’t mean to drift off to sleep, not really, but Namjoon had really put him through his paces last night and his body’s still feeling the effects. But he comes to, with his head pillowed on his forearms, to the sound of students shuffling and gathering their things: signalling the end of class.

 

His eyes are glossy with sleep and he sighs, rubbing over them once before gradually moving to shove his open notebook into his backpack. As he moves, his elbow knocks the pen he’d been writing with off the table. Jeongguk reaches out to grab it before it hits the floor but another hand beats him to it.

 

Jeongguk glances up from his backpack. He’s more alert now, still sleepy but not as slow, and he stares into the smiling face of Kang Seulgi, his pen in her outstretched hand. He can easily take it away from her, but Seulgi watches him through her dark contacts, concealing the true red of her irises underneath. Vampires like her have to hide their true eye color as to not expose themselves to hunters or other enemies. Jeongguk isn’t an enemy of hers, persay, because the hunters have reached a truce with the vampire queen Sunmi. That is, so long as her vampires quit killing innocent people to feed and she keeps them in the loop regarding rogue vampires that may wander into Seoul.

 

They’re not enemies, but they’re also not friends.

 

“Don’t you want your pen back, little hunter?” Seulgi hums, extending her arm out closer to Jeongguk, almost in a taunting manner. “You must be working hard if you’re sleeping during class.”

 

Sometimes it’s hard trying to be the better one in situations like this. Jeongguk is tired and his patience is already thin, so dealing with Seulgi and her teasing is infinitely harder than it should be. It’s Namjoon’s voice in the back of his head, reminding him to keep the peace at all costs, that keeps Jeongguk from yanking the pen out of the pretty vampire’s palm. 

 

Soon enough, they’re one of the last few students in the room, so there’s less of a chance that someone will overhear them. “Give it back, Seulgi,” Jeongguk demands, “Sure you got places to be.”

 

Seulgi makes a “tut” sound with her tongue before dropping the pen on Jeongguk’s desk. She uses her other hand to flip her long, brown hair over her shoulder. “And I’m sure  _ you  _ got places to be. You go have fun stockpiling garlic and wooden stakes, Jeongguk-ah.”

 

Garlic doesn’t even do  _ anything _ to vampires and they both know it. Seulgi’s just trying to get under Jeongguk’s skin. He throws the pen into his backpack and zips it shut, annoyance making his nose twitch. “Have fun taking a bite out of some poor defenseless human, Seulgi noona.”

 

The vampire snorts out a reply on her way out. “That’s a weak comeback. Come find me when you can  _ actually _ insult me.” She exits the lecture hall in a flurry of dark hair, leaving Jeongguk alone.

 

Okay, so maybe that  _ was _ a weak comeback, but Jeongguk doesn’t really have the energy to care. In fact, it feels like he’s barely got the strength to get out of his chair and sling his backpack over his shoulder: the last one to leave the hall. 

 

There’s time to kill before dance practice. Seokjin was always adamant that Jeongguk have something outside of school work and hunter training, and dance was something that played to Jeongguk’s strengths in stamina, flexibility, and quick reflexes.

 

The practice room is empty when he arrives, so Jeongguk lets his bag slide off his shoulder and sinks down to the floor. There’s new choreography to go over today. Something that Jeongguk isn’t that thrilled about. Especially not since Namjoon basically handed his ass to him last night and he’s pretty sure there’s already bruises hiding under his clothes from that.

 

His phone vibrates in his pocket. It takes a second to get the device free but when Jeongguk swipes his thumb over the screen, there’s a notification that Jimin is texting him, asking if he wants anything before practice.

 

Jimin is Jeongguk’s only non-hunter friend. And really the only reason they’re friends is because Jimin is kind of annoyingly persistent about it. Jeongguk wouldn’t admit it, but he likes Jimin’s sweet disposition, even if he’s a little sassy sometimes, and likes the fact that Jimin usually treats him to food or coffee on the days they have practice. 

 

After typing out “coffee please” and sending the text, Jeongguk lets the phone balance between his thighs with his legs long in front of himself. It’s easy to doze off again, just letting his head rest back against the soundproof wall and listening to the hum of the air conditioning unit. He doesn’t know for how long he naps, but it can’t be a long time, because someone is prodding him in the shoulder, coaxing him to wake up. 

 

It’s Jimin, with two coffees in his small hands. His blonde hair is fluffy and ruffled and he’s dressed casually in sweats and a hoodie. The rounded curve of a white scar peeks up just above his neckline, the only thing that really mars his appearance. The first time Jeongguk had asked about it, Jimin had explained that it was from an accident about a year ago and that was the last time Jeongguk had pried about it. He beams down at Jeongguk, crouching in front of him and forcing Jeongguk to tuck in his legs to make room. 

 

“Maybe this will wake you up, sleepyhead,” Jimin laughs, scooting in closer as people file into the room and begin their warmups. 

 

With only a few swallows of coffee, Jeongguk starts to feel a little more like a properly functioning member of society. The smile he gives Jimin is genuine. “Thanks, Jimin hyung. You’re a life saver.”

 

“Don’t flatter me,” Jimin mumbles between sips of his coffee. “You been staying up too late this week?”

 

“Can sleep when I’m dead, right?” So what if Jeongguk’s lifestyle is a little more hazardous than the average university student? Jimin doesn’t need to know how close to death he’s probably going to get. “It’s the same old, same old. Chem is kicking my ass. Got three papers due next week. Dying seems like the better option here.”

 

“You’ll get through it. Dying is  _ not  _ the better option, Jeongguk-ah. You can die on the inside, not on the outside. We’re all dead on the inside as college students. Just be glad you’re not going through the hell of pre-med.”

 

“I can’t believe you’re going to willingly be in school for seven hundred years.”

 

“Sometimes, I can’t believe it either.”

 

From what Jeongguk knows, Jimin is an excellent student, the kind of person that can definitely survive med school. He’ll be a good doctor someday, even if it is seven hundred years down the road. 

 

Draining the rest of his coffee, Jeongguk shoves his toes against Jimin’s shins. “Come on, hyung. Let’s warm up.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

By the time practice is over, everyone is a sweaty, panting mess. Jeongguk stays spread eagle on the cool, wood flooring, chest heaving up and down as everyone else around him finishes their cool down. The choreography wasn’t particularly hard, but still draining to do over and over and  _ over  _ again, especially when his already fatigued muscles were screaming for mercy only halfway through. 

 

Whatever energy the coffee gave him is long gone, and now Jeongguk really does feel dead inside. Every place his body makes contact with the floor —the backs of his hands, his shoulder blades, his low back, his calves and heels— feels a thousand times heavier than normal.

 

Jimin, on the other hand, is finishing his cool down while casually typing on his phone. He’s barely broken into a sweat, still wearing his hoodie and sweatpants, whereas other dancers have stripped to their t-shirts or no shirt at all. Jeongguk stares up at him, open-mouthed, and Jimin’s mouth is closed and he’s breathing just fine. 

 

_ How is he alive? _

 

“Hyung, I don’t think you’re human. There’s no way.”

 

Jimin glances up from his phone and his smile is delayed, but the corners of his eyes crinkle and he laughs after a few brief seconds. “That’s because I take care of myself, unlike you. I’m as human as you are.”

 

To that, Jeongguk blows a raspberry in Jimin’s general direction. They’re both college students. There’s no doubt in Jeongguk’s mind that Jimin’s diet is no better than his, and he’s even got Seokjin’s cooking to break up his usual lunch of ramen and energy drinks. 

 

As much as he’d like to remain splayed out as one with the floor, Jeongguk forces himself to crunch up until he’s sitting with his legs crossed, wrists dangling over his knees. Almost as if on cue, his stomach grumbles in protest. 

 

“Go home and eat, yea? Can hear your stomach all the way over here. I’d take you out for food but I’m getting picked up and need to leave soon. Eat something filling, okay? And get some sleep.”

 

“Can sleep when I’m dead,” Jeongguk repeats with a cheeky smirk on his face. The bottoms of his shoes squeak on the floor as he clamors to his feet. “And where are you going? I’m not invited?”

 

He’s only teasing. Jimin maybe be one of his favorite hyungs at university but that doesn’t make him exempt from Jeongguk being a little shit to him most of the time. 

 

Jimin shakes his head and reaches out to nudge Jeongguk in the arm, pocketing his phone. “Kids aren’t allowed. You’d ruin it.”

 

“ _ Kid _ ?” Jeongguk is appalled. “I’m not a kid. I’m taller than you!”

 

“You’re  _ younger  _ than me. Don’t pull out the height card, you little shit.”

 

“You’re just jealous ‘cause you won’t grow anymore.”

 

Irked from their banter, Jimin nudges Jeongguk again, instead this time harder. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

 

Whenever Jimin resorts to shoving, that’s when Jeongguk  _ knows _ that he’s successfully gotten under his skin. “Yea, yea,” he says, raking his fingers through his fringe to push it back off of his forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

 

_ “ _ Mhm. Better not see dark bags under those eyes, Kook.” 

 

Jeongguk smiles. “No promises.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

From the outside, no one would expect the Kim residence to house hunters of the supernatural. Nestled back in a quiet neighborhood just ten minutes from campus, it’s a modest little place that Jeongguk calls home. It’s a compact white three-story house, with the main entrance on the second floor, a small patio on the third. A set of stairs lead up to the front door. Four large windows cover the front of the house, two on each floor on each side, but only the main level windows aren’t blacked out. Privacy reasons, of course. There’s a small driveway filled with a couple of cars, including Namjoon’s and Seokjin’s. 

 

Namjoon and Seokjin own the home. It belonged to Namjoon’s father back when he was a hunter and Namjoon has since remodeled the residence so it appears more modern, built with more rooms and space to accommodate multiple people at one time. The only permanent residents are the two Kims, Jeongguk, and two of the other college-aged hunters, Tao and Sehun. The other hunters will come and go as they please to train or will arrive for group meetings, but sometimes they drop in to spend the weekend at the house. It looks like Luna’s car is here too.  _ Maybe the other noonas are here,  _ Jeongguk thinks as he ascends the staircase and digs around in his pocket for the house keys.

 

Jeongguk toes off his shoes upon entering the house, backpack sliding off his shoulders. He hangs his coat up on the back of the door before grabbing his backpack and shuffling down the hall. There’s a spiraling staircase just ahead of him but, hearing some commotion in the kitchen, he turns right and spots Seokjin chopping up fruit at the counter. Luna is seated at the kitchen table across from Yezi, who has her feet propped up on the surface, fiddling with her hunting knife. 

 

Seokjin looks up from his chopping and smiles at Jeongguk. “Glad you’re home,” he hums, but his lips purse when he sees the way Jeongguk drags his feet, the bags under his eyes. “Namjoon overwork you again? I swear, I told him not to do that on days you had dance practice—”

 

“Jin hyung, it’s okay,” Jeongguk plunks himself down in the empty seat next to Luna, who smiles at him and leans to the side to ruffle up his hair. 

 

“Our Jeonggukkie is just tired,” she coos. “Winter break is almost here.”

 

“Still. . . Joonie’s been overworking him lately,” Seokjin mumbles with disdain. “He wants you down there in a little bit, eat something first then head down. I’ll go talk to him and tell him to take it easy, you look like you’re going to drop dead at any moment.”

 

It doesn’t do much to help his case when Jeongguk huffs, puffing out his cheeks in a way that makes him look younger. “I don’t need to be babied, hyung.”

 

“Yea, Jin,” Yezi cuts in, eyes glinting over the sharp edge of her knife, “don’t baby our little maknae. He’s a Jeon. He can handle it.”

 

Seokjin points the cutting knife at Yezi. “Get your feet off the table, Yezi,” he utters in a clipped tone, and with a quirked brow, Yezi slowly lowers her feet until her boots smack against the wood floor. The eldest turns back around to set down the knife and wipe his hands on a towel. “It doesn’t matter if he’s a  _ Jeon.  _ He’s barely twenty and he needs sleep or else he’s going to get himself or any of us killed.”

 

“Don’t seem to remember you coddling Sehun or Tao this much,” Yezi mutters under her breath as she slips the knife back into the side of her boot, ignoring the exasperated look that Luna throws her.

 

Jeongguk bristles at that. Yezi’s always been hard on him, but it only makes him want to try harder. “I’m not going to get anyone killed,” he insists, straightening his spine and squaring his shoulders. “It’s fine.” The last thing he wants is for Namjoon to think he’s weak. It’s already mildly irritating how many times he’s been passed over for missions that even Sehun and Tao have gotten to participate in. If Seokjin does say anything to Namjoon, he might not even be able to do  _ any _ hunting until after the new year.

 

“If you do drop dead, it’s not my fault. You just need sleep. I’m not asking that much from you. Now eat something before you head downstairs, I can make you coffee if you need it.”

 

Luna has a plateful of fruit in front of her, so Jeongguk reaches out and snatches a few slices of apple from it. “Did Namjoon hyung say what he wanted?” he asks around his mouthful as he shoves two slices into his mouth at the same time. 

 

“He’s just been talking about new plans, heard word from Hoseok about a wolf pack popping up in Seoul. I think he just wants to tell you about it. Might be your opportunity to go on more missions.”

 

“Namjoon’s an idiot for trusting him,” Yezi comments off-handedly, crossing her arms over her chest. “Nothing good ever comes from being in cahoots with a demon.”

 

“Yezi,  _ please _ ,” Luna implores her, trying to save the peace as she scoots her plate over in front of Jeongguk. “Hoseok has helped us out before—”

 

“Everyone knows that demons are only helpful as long as it benefits them. As soon as we stop being useful to that  _ thing _ , we’ll see how well that goes.”

 

“They all know the consequences, and Hoseok is probably the most trustworthy out of all of them. I wouldn’t touch Jongdae with a ten foot pole, let alone  _ trust  _ him. Even Jongin is a stretch. As long as nobody provokes them, our truce is valid. It’s not that difficult.”

 

Luna pitches in. “We don’t see them often, anyways. Kris and Amber are the ones who deal with the others and if push comes to shove, they’ll know what to do. Let’s just get as much information out of Hoseok as possible before one of them decides they’ve had enough.”

 

Jeongguk’s never actually interacted with any of these demons. He’s seen Hoseok in passing; well, seen the human shell that Hoseok currently inhabits, but Seokjin and Namjoon have never let Hoseok stick around long enough for him to have a conversation with any of the younger hunters. It’s probably for the best. Being on a demon’s radar is never a good thing. 

 

“Wolves?” He finishes the apples and moves on to the little pile of strawberries against the rim of the plate. “A werewolf pack? What are they doing in Seoul? I thought that Busan was their main territory?” 

 

“Busan, Gwangju, Daegu. . . not Seoul. Joonie’s thinking that the pack is small, close-knit, not like the large ones in the other cities. Sometimes we get flare ups of activity on the outskirts before they disappear. This pack doesn’t necessarily mark their territory like most others, which leads him to believe that they’re relatively tame and want to stay away from us. We won’t chase them out until they get too close or are seen as a threat. Joonie knows more than me, ask him these questions when you’re down there. He’ll be happy to answer them.”

 

Once all the fruit on Luna’s plate is gone, Jeongguk pushes himself back from the table and stands, hooking his backpack over his shoulder. “Thanks, Jin hyung. You all coming down too?”

 

Luna shakes her head. “We already talked with Namjoon before you got home. Just staying for Jin’s cooking.” Her smile is wide, eyes crinkling up at the corners.

 

“Sehun and Tao might be down there too, they got here just before you did. Here, take coffee with you.” Seokjin is already mixing Jeongguk’s coffee in his mug and he hands it to Jeongguk when he stands up to head downstairs into their basement and then the underground training room. “I’m making short ribs, you know how fast everyone eats those, so come back up early enough. I’ll try to save you some if you stay down to train.”

 

Jeongguk manages a little smile and curls his fingers around the mug, dipping his head in a little nod to show his thanks as he backs out of the kitchen. Most of his exhaustion has been pushed aside, especially now with the possibility of being able to actually  _ do _ something for once.

 

Without even bothering to head upstairs to his room, Jeongguk takes the stairs down to the basement two at a time. It’s a surprisingly spacious area. When Namjoon updated the interior of the house he also expanded the basement area so that it could serve as a meeting place and also a training area for hunters that needed to hone their skills between missions. The training area is only accessible to the hunters, as the door requires a passcode, because if they were to have guests over or anything of the sorts, huge crossbows and other deadly weapons might attract bad company. There’s a meeting room in the open part of the basement and Jeongguk enters, grabbing the attention of those in the room.

 

He’s taken aback when he spots Hoseok in the room standing next to Namjoon. No wonder Yezi was so upset. . . Hoseok’s  _ here.  _

 

The demon glances up from the map and he smiles briefly. His hair glows orange under the dim lights, casting shadows across his tan skin. Like most demons, he’s dressed in all black, but his shoes are an odd, eye-catching silver. It’s strange to see him in the place demons and other supernatural creatures are supposedly unwelcome.

 

Sehun and Tao are sitting down on the couch closest to the table and only spare Jeongguk a glance. Sehun’s blonde hair looks like he’s been running his fingers through it —one of his nervous habits— and Tao’s actively twirling around one of the many piercings lining his left ear. Namjoon stops his discussion with Hoseok to address Jeongguk.

 

“Was wondering when you’d be home. You  _ do _ look like shit.”

 

“Nice to see you too, Namjoon hyung,” Jeongguk grumbles, letting his backpack slide off of his shoulder to rest on the floor next to the couch. Also, he takes a few swallows of coffee, burning the roof of his mouth, before setting the mug on one of the end tables. “Jin hyung said you wanted to see me?”

 

“So this is the last of your baby hunters,” Hoseok muses, ignoring the fact that Jeongguk just asked a question. It’s unsettling to have the demon’s full attention, but Jeongguk tries not to shrink down or round his shoulders. “Little Jeon Jeongguk. You look  _ just _ like your father—”

 

Jeongguk stiffens, suddenly filled with a burning desire to close the space between them and throttle the demon. He could do it, too. All it would take is a few steps—

 

“Don’t rile him up already, Hoseok. He’s had a long enough day.”

 

Even Sehun and Tao are quiet, tense.

 

“Of course,” Hoseok’s gaze still never leaves Jeongguk’s, a small smile in place on his lips. “I meant it as a compliment. But I should know by now you hunters are all business, hardly any pleasantries.”

 

“Well, the subject you brought up is touchy. You can talk to him all you want after I’m done debriefing him.” Namjoon turns away from Hoseok, back to Jeongguk. “What did Jin tell you so far?”

 

“Just that there might be a werewolf pack migrating into Seoul? Said you’d have more information about what was going on.”

 

“Yea. I went out earlier with Hoseok, he showed me the area where he and the others have seen them or their markings. They’re not too far from here, but they haven’t actually marked their territory, and they most likely won’t, if they’re smart. There’s a reason why packs don’t frequent Seoul anymore and part of that reason is us.”

 

Approaching the table, Jeongguk spots a map of Seoul, and there are different colored lines on the map, indicating where the pack has been seen in comparison to those previous. There’s not enough information to pinpoint where they might be exactly, but given that they’ve only just found out about the wolves, that’s not uncommon. 

 

“They’re most likely young, trying to blend in with the city, and so far they’re smart about it. They’re not new to the area. . . which also leads me to think they have fair intentions. We want to keep an eye on any activity in the city and on the outskirts. But who knows, they might disappear tomorrow or next week or even next month. It’s hard to tell. For now, we surveillance the area, and I want you involved, as well as Sehun and Tao. You’re the last of us for now, and it’s best we catch you up to speed with what everyone else is doing. Hoseok here is hooked on the idea that you’re some sort of prodigy, but until you have more experience in the field, those assumptions are just that: assumptions. That’s why I’ve been training your ass off. I’ve been hearing rumors but couldn’t be too sure until Hoseok confirmed them. You’re ready, but you’ll be in with a group of us first before you go off on your own or until you prove to me that you can handle yourself. Same goes for you two, Sehun, Tao. Just because you’ve trained a little longer doesn’t mean you can go off on your own and do whatever you want. Do I make myself clear, all three of you?”

 

Immediately, a trio of ‘yes sir’s sounds from the three youngest, and Jeongguk’s heart rate skyrockets.  _ Finally _ something bigger than doing something mundane like clearing sprites out of their neighbor’s garden. “But you don’t think they’re going to disappear, do you?” he prods Namjoon, letting his palms rest on the edge of the table as he scans over the contents again. “Do you think they know we’re here? Should we try to make contact? You can’t be too careful, especially not with fucking  _ werewolves _ — _ ” _

 

Namjoon’s hardened gaze quiets Jeongguk. Everyone knows why Jeongguk has such strong animosity towards werewolves —losing both of his parents at such a young age— and his emotions can get the better of him. “As far as I’m concerned, they’re trying to stay away from us, and we don’t need to make contact just yet. Surveillance comes first. If we decide that they’re harmless, then we can make a treaty with them, just as we did with Sunmi and the vampires. Times are changing, and our views have to change also. We’ll do what we can quietly and if we need to be more aggressive, then we will be. Just not yet. Be patient.”

 

“What if something happens? What if they  _ kill _ someone and we just sat here and did nothing—”

 

_ “Jeongguk.  _ Nothing is going to happen. They’re clearly staying out of trouble and away from us and they appear to be one of the  _ least _ problematic packs we’ve had in Seoul so far. If something happens, you know we’ll be on top of it. I would worry more about those pretty vampires in your classes than wolves.”

 

The room is silent and Jeongguk knows he’s overstepped himself. There’s a bit of a flush on the tops of his cheeks when he dips his head in apology. “Sorry, hyung.”

 

“Come now, Namjoon,” Hoseok says, eye crinkled up in amusement. “That sort of passion is the mark of a great hunter, don’t you think? Besides, you never know when those little wolfies are going to snap, maybe decide they’re in the mood for a human snack—”

 

“Or a  _ demon _ ,” inserts Sehun, who is glaring at Hoseok from the couch. He’s been silent until now, and Tao shifts next to him, gently elbowing him in the ribs.

 

When Hoseok blinks, his gaze flickers to Sehun and for a split second his eyes are black as pitch. “Or perhaps a little, mouthy hunter.”

 

The blackness of Hoseok’s eyes sends a shiver down Jeongguk’s spine. Sehun doesn’t back off, his thin eyebrows pinched, but it’s Namjoon who calls them back in. 

 

“Enough, all of you. Mind your manners or you’re staying put in this house and you’ll be cleaning sprites out of the garden for a week.”

 

“I’m pretty sure there’s even a few gnomes out there,” Tao’s slightly accented whisper is still loud enough to be heard in the silence. “Please, Sehun, shut up.”

 

Hoseok blinks again and his eyes are back to normal. Jeongguk is already beginning to hate his smile. “Well, that was all I had for you today, anyway. Do keep me in the loop if anything else happens with our new wolfie friends, hm?”

 

“I’ll be sure to let you know, Hoseok.”

 

In the next breath, Hoseok vanishes in a cloud of black smoke and when it clears, there’s no trace of the demon left behind. Jeongguk finally takes in a real breath, tension draining out of his shoulders as he curls the tips of his fingers around the table for stability. “Namjoon hyung, why do you let that guy in here? I don’t like him.”

 

Namjoon sighs, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. “Because it’s a private place we can come and talk in, I don’t know exactly why he insists on meeting here. None of you like him.”

 

Sehun rolls his eyes from the couch. “I’ll say,” he mumbles. 

 

“Can’t help if demons give me the creeps,” Jeongguk adds on, “it’s the eyes. Feels like they’re gonna steal my soul. But. . . how did he know my dad?”

 

“Almost everyone knew your father, but for him to make the connection between you two so quick. . . I don’t know. Hoseok is an old demon and he gets around, so he must have heard word somewhere.”

 

That doesn’t sit particularly well with Jeongguk but he decides to let it go. Hunters and supernatural creatures alike know the surname Jeon. Their lineage can be traced back decades as some of the first hunting families of South Korea, but the fact that a demon of all creatures could so flippantly comment about the similarities between Jeongguk and his late father. . . That tells him to be very careful around Hoseok if he ever sees him again. 

 

“So we’re just gonna do surveillance? You think you know any of these wolves?”

 

“Given the area they’ve been around, it’s plausible that some may attend your university. They’re young, want to try to keep out of trouble. We’re going to scout around there and near the forests. I want you to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity on campus, Jeongguk, and the same goes for you two, Sehun, Tao. I know you go to different schools, but we just want to make sure we aren’t wrong. Pay attention to your surroundings.”

 

None of the younger hunters have any prior personal experience with werewolves, so it’s no surprise when Tao speaks up. “Anything specific we should be looking for? I know you said they don’t seem to be marking their territory in a traditional way, and that’s really the only thing most books go over.”

 

“Look for groups. I know, that’s vague, but werewolves stick to their pack members even in social situations. You’ll know the difference between a group of humans and a group of wolves; the wolves will be more physical with one another, and will usually have a distinct leader who is either the alpha or one of the alphas. They’ll all center around that alpha. Keep an eye out for tattoos or markings. . . packs usually establish a pack mark that they tattoo on their body. Sometimes they’re noticeable, other times they aren’t. The tattoos are usually of some sort of symbol and aren’t words or letters. The main thing you need to look out for are groups. If they are really on campus, it might be more difficult to spot because of the college kids, but you’ve been trained enough to be discreet and observationalists.”

 

Namjoon pushes off the table and folds his arms over his chest. “Also, keep track of anyone who goes missing for a couple of days, even if you think they’re just sick. They’re most likely away from school due to their mating cycle.”

 

Jeongguk wrinkles his nose, so glad he’s not at the mercy of his own body for something like a mating cycle. But they all nod in agreement, waiting a few moments to take in all the information before Jeongguk speaks up again. “Is that it? Did you need anything else from me, hyung? Because I have three papers due next week. . .”

 

“No, I suppose I’m done. I worked you hard enough yesterday and you need to keep up those grades. You work harder than Sehun and Tao and their grades are slipping.”

 

Sehun jerks up from his seat when he’s called out. “Hey! That’s not fair. Just because Jeongguk is your favorite—”

 

“He  _ might  _ end up being my favorite if you don’t get your shit together and you stop flirting with every goddamn thing with legs.”

 

That’s Jeongguk’s cue to collect his things, swiping his backpack from next to the couch as Tao laughs behind his own hands. Sehun’s eyebrows furrow and there’s the beginning of a flush on his cheeks, either from embarrassment or frustration. He simply doesn’t say anything, just storms off upstairs like a child, probably ready to complain to anyone willing to listen. 

 

“I’ll go make sure he doesn’t have a complete meltdown,” Tao offers once he’s collected himself, standing and stretching his arms overhead. He reminds Jeongguk of a cat, lithe and angular, exotic. 

 

He follows Tao up the stairs, where they find Sehun at the kitchen table with a very exasperated looking Seokjin. 

 

“Come on, Sehunnie,” Tao coaxes him from the doorway. “You’ve got that exam tomorrow. Let’s go upstairs.”

 

It’s with a grumble that Sehun follows Tao, and Jeongguk steps aside as they head upstairs to their shared room. Yezi and Luna are gone, and soon Namjoon trudges up the stairs and into the kitchen. Jeongguk watches as Namjoon presses a kiss to Seokjin’s cheek and runs a hand through his hair as the elder wipes off his hands after seasoning their food. 

 

“I’m gonna go upstairs,” he mumbles, swiping an energy drink from the fridge. “Call me when dinner's ready.”

 

Seokjin just nods, setting the towel down on the counter. Jeongguk cracks open the can before jogging up the stairs, leaving Namjoon and Seokjin alone in the kitchen. The sound of the TV can be heard in the living room. 

 

Namjoon wraps an arm around Seokjin's waist. Seokjin leans in, resting his weight on Namjoon. The younger hums in the back of his throat.

 

“We're going to be busy in the next couple weeks.”

 

“Mm,” Seokjin muses, “Did Hoseok have anything else to say? I take it he behaved himself?”

 

“Well, for the most part he did. Sehun got snappy and he almost made Jeongguk mad, bringing up his father and everything. I'm still not sure if this is a good idea…”

 

“What? Trusting a demon? Letting the boys participate in missions?” Seokjin laughs and it’s a little squeaky in the way that he gets when he’s truly amused. “Joonie, don’t overthink this. It’s a good opportunity for the boys, and so far Hoseok hasn’t given us any reason to distrust him.”

 

“No, I know, it's just…” Namjoon pauses, sighing. “I don't know if they're ready. If they run into wolves, what are they gonna do? I don't want Jeongguk's pre-existing feelings to get in the way, or for all three of those kids to not get along. Teamwork is my issue.”

 

With a sigh, Seokjin pulls away but loops his arms around Namjoon’s neck. “Jeongguk is an adult now, as much as you still see him as a child. Losing his parents how he did was a terrible thing, but he’s got to come to grips with his feelings and deal with them. And sure, Sehun is a hot head and a bit of a drama queen, but you know Tao tempers him well.”

 

Namjoon rubs circles into Seokjin's waist, meeting his warm gaze. “I know this might be irrational but… do you think  _ he’s  _ back? Given the pack’s behaviour so far, I can't help but think that he's in Seoul. It's a possibility, but I can't say for sure.” He sighs again, twisting his head, chewing on his lower lip before refocusing back on Seokjin. “You think I'm reaching too far?”

 

“No, I don’t”, Seokjin assures him. “But running with a pack? It’s not like lone wolves to join up with a new pack. . . Unless— you think he’s the alpha?”

 

“It's unusual that he's moved all the way north. Last I heard, he was still in Daegu and spotted in Ulsan. He could be the new alpha...he's got the guts to be pack leader, that's for sure—“

 

Seokjin silences him with a kiss, a long one that he presses firmly to the leader’s mouth. “There you go. Worrying too much again. You have the boys looking out. We’ll have some answers soon, yea?”

 

Namjoon closes his arm around Seokjin’s waist and their chests bump, small smile flickering across Namjoon’s lips. “You always know how to calm me down, don’t you? I’m starting to think you’re  _ too  _ good at it.”

 

“Someone has to take care of you, since you spend so much time taking care of us.” Seokjin reaches up, runs the pad of his thumb over the scar that bisects the left side of Namjoon’s face. “But,  _ now  _ you’ve got to get out of my kitchen. I’ve got dinner to finish and I can’t have you distracting me.”

 

“Fine, fine,” Namjoon mumbles, slipping out of Seokjin’s arms. As he retreats, he playfully swats at Seokjin’s rear. “You know where to find me if you need me.”

 

Shaking his head, Seokjin turns back around to finish preparing dinner, a smile gracing his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What are your first impressions? What do you guys think? 
> 
> (Any vague information in this chapter will be addressed later in the story, so sorry, but we're keeping you in suspense!)
> 
> Please leave your comments, opinions, and questions below and please give kudos if you're enjoying it so far! As always, feel free to contact and follow us on our [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas) where we keep our followers updated on our ideas and interact with them on a daily basis. 
> 
> We're only just getting started! ;)


	2. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The newcomer has no problems flinging both of his arms around Jimin’s neck in a bone-crushing hug, and to be honest, Jeongguk’s a little taken aback. He takes two very small steps backwards and tries to find something else to look at. 
> 
> When they're done with their hug, the newcomer lets go of Jimin, boxy grin on his face. For the first time, he fixes his eyes on Jeongguk, the slightest amber tinge to them. Jeongguk is compelled to stare in return.

Jeongguk isn’t late to dance practice but he’s not as early as he usually is. His stupid chemistry professor keeps the  _ weirdest  _ office hours and wasn’t even there when he was supposed to be, so Jeongguk essentially wasted a trip across campus. He’s a little cranky, and understandably so, considering he’s running off about four hours of sleep. 

 

No amount of coffee is going to save him today. 

 

By the time he reaches the practice room, he’s already a little sweaty. There are a few other people warming up in front of the mirrors, but not everyone’s arrived. Jeongguk heaves a sigh of relief because latecomers usually get a lot of shit. 

 

Jimin’s off in the corner on the far left hand side, folded over completely in half with his arms wrapped around his thighs. So of course, Jeongguk makes a beeline for him, dropping his backpack up against the side wall when he gets closer. 

 

Jimin twists his head around and up, peeking through his blonde fringe at Jeongguk. “I was starting to think you weren’t gonna show up,” he comments, before returning to his stretching. “What took you so long?”

 

“Don’t wanna talk about it,” Jeongguk grumbles, bending down to tighten the laces of his Timberland boots. “I’m still here before the other half of the group. Don’t give me that.”

 

Standing straight and pulling his knee close to his chest, Jimin chuckles. “Yeah, but I like stretching with you and—”

 

“Hyung!”

 

Everyone in the practice room turns to stare at the boy standing in the doorway, including Jeongguk. Jeongguk’s never seen him before. After a moment, people begin to get back to what they were doing, still glancing over at the newcomer, and Jeongguk openly stares at him as he strides on over. 

 

He’s tall and on the skinnier side, tan skin practically glowing under the lights in the dance room. His hair is rather long, with a slight wavy bounce to it, and his brows are strong, his face angular and sharp. He’s wearing grey sweats, converse, and a black hoodie, typical college kid attire, but his face is so  _ pretty.  _ Jeongguk doesn’t know where to look.

 

“You were almost late,” comes Jimin’s voice at his side, drawing Jeongguk out of his stare. He swallows, eyes focusing back on whoever Jimin’s friend is.  _ He looks like a model. _

 

The newcomer has no problems flinging both of his arms around Jimin’s neck in a bone-crushing hug, and to be honest, Jeongguk’s a little taken aback. He takes two very small steps backwards and tries to find something else to look at. 

 

When they're done with their hug, the newcomer lets go of Jimin, boxy grin on his face. For the first time, he fixes his eyes on Jeongguk, the slightest amber tinge to them. Jeongguk is compelled to stare in return.

 

“Hyung, who's this?” the newcomer asks, his voice a deep timbre, warm and comforting. Jeongguk can faintly smell cinnamon off him. 

 

“Oh, sorry. I should have introduced you,” Jimin apologizes, tugging on Jeongguk's sleeve. When Jeongguk doesn't introduce himself, Jimin does it for him. 

 

“This is Jeongguk, he’s a sophomore. Year below us. Kook, this is Taehyung, he's gonna be in our dance class from now on. He works at the coffee shop on campus.”

 

Taehyung’s grin reappears at its fullest, long fingers brushing away his bangs from his face. “Nice to meet you. I heard you're a good dancer. Jiminnie hyung talks about you all the time.”

 

“Oh,” Jeongguk says dumbly, mouth opening and closing once but no more sounds come out. He’s never heard about this Taehyung, at least not by name. It’s no secret that Jimin has a steady boyfriend that he’s had yet to meet, so this must be him. “Uh, nice to meet you too, Taehyung-ssi,” he finishes with a little bow, considering Taehyung is his senior. “Jimin doesn’t really talk about you at all.”

 

It’s only after the words leave his mouth that Jeongguk realizes how  _ rude _ they sound. 

 

But Taehyung doesn't pick up on it, and nor does Jimin. “Ah, really?” He chuckles. “Call me hyung, or just Tae. I don't care about formalities, I'm not picky.”

 

Jeongguk rolls his lips between his teeth for the briefest of moment, and basically replies with a slight down-up motion of his left shoulder. “Yea, okay.”

 

Change in routine like this is something that Jeongguk is  _ not _ a fan of. It’s immature to feel jealousy and he knows this, but that has to be what the ugly, tight feeling in his chest is to watch how easily Taehyung and Jimin interact, how at ease Taehyung already seems in the dance studio when it took Jeongguk  _ weeks _ to feel comfortable. Even when their instructor comes in and tells everyone to get in position, Taehyung knows exactly where to move, no ounce of discomfort shown. It’s like he’s in his natural environment.

 

Jeongguk stumbles out of his thoughts and into formation with the other dancers, taking his place near Jimin. His mood doesn’t improve like it usually would. Normally, dancing helps to clear any sort of clutter and noise out of his head, drains any tension or stress he’s holding inside, but today it seems to be having the opposite effect. 

 

Everyone seems totally charmed by Taehyung, and going through the choreography takes nearly twice as long as usual. It isn’t that Taehyung is a bad dancer, but every few minutes someone is helping him correct his form or his foot position, so Jeongguk finds himself more frustrated than anything by the time their instructor declares the session over.

 

For the first time in a long while, he completely ignores the cool down —settling for just a quick roll of his shoulders and a half-assed stretch of his quads and hamstrings— and heads for where his backpack is slumped against the far wall. Still sweating, but stubbornly refusing to remove his sweatshirt, Jeongguk hoists the bag over his left shoulder and spins on his heel, barely managing to swallow down the noise of surprise in his throat when he finds Taehyung standing only a few paces behind him.

 

All of that time dancing and Taehyung has barely broken into a sweat. He eyes Jeongguk curiously, almost with an intensity Jeongguk can’t quite name. Jeongguk’s throat bobs and he fixes his bag. 

 

“Jimin was wondering if you’d like to go somewhere with us, get ramen or something.” Taehyung speaks slow, almost as if he’s speaking to Jeongguk like he’s a skittish little thing ready to run at any moment. 

 

“Oh, uh—” Why is it that Jeongguk can’t seem to string two words together properly? “I don’t want to third wheel you guys—”

 

He stops short at the change in Taehyung’s expression, his eyes widening, brows arching. At first, Jeongguk thinks he’s said something wrong or that he’s offended Taehyung, but the elder just chuckles low, expression morphing into one of amusement. 

 

“Third wheel? No, no— I’m not Jimin’s boyfriend. I mean, sometimes I wish I was, but Yoongi hyung would kill me. I’m just Jimin’s best friend.”

 

That should make Jeongguk feel better but he fixates on  _ best friend _ , and his mouth twists to the side. There’s heat crawling up the side of his neck and he can feel the embarrassment from being the subject of Taehyung’s amusement. “Oh,” he repeats again, like he can’t come up with anything better to say. “Nah, I have some papers to work on and stuff. Maybe next time?”

 

“Aw, you’re ditching me to go do homework?” 

 

Jimin’s voice almost startles Jeongguk, who, once again, can’t seem to catch a break today. He’s just on edge and jittery and right now is not prime socializing time. The blonde reaches for his bag, nudging Taehyung’s bag with his foot against Taehyung’s leg. Taehyung has kept his eyes on Jeongguk but he looks away to grab his bag and whatever else he’s brought.

 

Jeongguk’s mouth opens but promptly closes when Jimin leans up and ruffles his dark hair. “No worries, I know you have a lot of work to catch up on. We can just do it another time. Right, Taehyung?”

 

“Yeah, right,” Taehyung replies, a little distracted by something. Jimin stares at Taehyung for a few more seconds, or at least that’s what Jeongguk observes, but he could be wrong. He’s tired and today isn’t the best day. 

 

Leaving by himself is what Jeongguk planned, but as soon as he makes a move for the door, Taehyung and Jimin fall into step right alongside him. It’d be rude to shuffle off ahead, so he lets the idle chatter of the other two wash over him as they follow the hallway out of the arts building that opens up into one of the large parking lots for commuter students. 

 

There’s a happy, excited noise that escapes Jimin’s mouth, making Jeongguk wince at the pitch. He watches Jimin’s backpack bounce between his shoulderblades as he bounds across the sidewalk, making a bee-line for a dark grey Jeep that’s parked right alongside the curb. In the time it takes for Jimin to reach it, the driver’s side door swings open.

 

Now, Jeongguk spends enough time teasing Jimin for his height, but the man that steps out of the Jeep is barely taller than his hyung. It’s hard to make out most of his features but his skin is pale, his nose soft and rounded, and there’s bits of wavy, messy dark hair peeking out from under the knitted beanie pulled down over his ears.

 

“Ah, there he is! I’m gonna make Yoongi hyung buy us food,” Taehyung muses at Jeongguk’s side. This Yoongi, who Jeongguk now knows is Jimin’s boyfriend, appears stoic for only a moment before he catches sight of Jimin. He shuts the car door with a tattooed hand just as the other one closes around Jimin’s narrow shoulders, holding him to his chest. It’s only a hug but the level of intimacy of it makes Jeongguk feel like he’s intruding on their moment, especially when Jimin’s boyfriend tucks his face into Jimin’s neck and stays there. 

 

Jeongguk awkwardly shuffles forward with Taehyung, capturing the attention of Jimin and his boyfriend. Jimin turns, and Yoongi slides his arm down to lace their fingers together. 

 

“You act like you haven’t seen each other in days,” Taehyung snorts, opening the passenger’s side door to toss his backpack in.

 

“Jealous?” Yoongi’s voice is a lot lower than Jeongguk originally imagined, and Jimin playfully slaps him on the chest with his free hand. 

 

It’s painfully obvious how much of an outsider Jeongguk is in this whole interaction, his toes curling inside his shoes. “I’ll, uh, see you tomorrow, Jimin hyung,” he says quietly, body already angled away from the group.

 

“Ah, okay, Kookie. Great job today, good luck with your homework.” 

 

 

* * *

 

Taehyung shuts the door and leans against it, eyes trained on Jeongguk. Jeongguk just turns his head back to give his thanks before hopping off the curb and walking across the parking lot. Jimin glances over the car until Jeongguk is almost out of sight, returning his gaze to Taehyung. This time, he has a look of exasperation on his face.

 

“Can you be  _ any _ more obvious, Tae?” Jimin sighs, the slightest whine pitching his voice as a complaint.

 

Taehyung tears his eyes away. “You think I was obvious?”

 

“You kept staring during practice and you nearly scared the shit out of him at the end.”

 

“Well, I didn’t mean to,” Taehyung mumbles, digging the sole of his foot into the curb. “He’s cute.”

 

“Take it down a notch or twelve, Taehyungie,” Yoongi grumbles, pressing his nose down and right against the white of Jimin’s scar. “You’re too intense for that poor kid. Did you hear how fast his heart was beating?”

 

“Like you should talk. I could smell his surprise when you two got all gooey and mushy here. Gross.”

 

“I very discreetly scented my mate,” Yoongi huffs, nosing up and placing a soft kiss on the curve of Jimin’s jawline until he squirms. “ _ This _ is being gooey and mushy.”

 

“Cut it out, we’re in public,” Jimin mumbles against Yoongi’s neck, albeit playfully, and Taehyung wrinkles his nose, throwing open the car door. 

 

“Come on, lovebirds, let’s get out of here. I’m starving. Hyung, you’re paying.”

 

Releasing Jimin with a groan, Yoongi pries open the driver’s side door and rolls into his seat. 

 

“The things I do for you, kid.”

 

 

* * *

 

  
  


After dinner at a local hangout place, the three of them pile back into Yoongi’s jeep and head home. Yoongi so generously paid for their meal, even Taehyung’s, and the younger is positively beaming when he flops into the backseat and burps loud enough for Jimin to hear outside the car. 

 

“You’re disgusting, you know that?” Yoongi hisses as he twists the key in the ignition. Jimin runs his fingers through his hair and glances in the rearview mirror at Taehyung, who just smiles back with glee. 

 

Jimin reaches out to lace his fingers with Yoongi’s over the center console as he drives. Only a few minutes more pass before Jimin speaks up.

 

“Do you still want to run tonight?” He asks Taehyung, stroking his thumb over Yoongi’s knuckles. They had been thinking about going on a run during the week, and Taehyung had brought it up this morning, but Jimin's asking for clarification. 

 

Taehyung, sobered up now, glances out at the window. The scenery around them changes, moving from tall buildings in the city part of Seoul, to smaller houses gathered in clusters, and then hints of forest. The road soon becomes lined with them, and Taehyung is compelled to just sit and stare without making any noise. He does this for over ten minutes, involved in his own world, cracking open the window to breathe in the scents of the forest: fallen leaves, earthy soil, the fresh air. . .  _ home.  _

 

“Yes, today is perfect.”

 

Jimin’s eyes meet Taehyung's through the rearview mirror. The radio plays music, quietly, as it has for the past twenty minutes in Taehyung's contemplative silence. 

 

“Then we can let everyone know when we're home.”

 

They reach home within a few minutes, within the small forests outside of the city. The tires of the Jeep churn up gravel and dirt on the makeshift road leading to the house, and they jeer to a halt. Grabbing their things, Taehyung pops open the door and slips out, handing Jimin his backpack and duffle bag. Yoongi locks the car and it beeps, the echo carrying through the forest area before dissipating into the canopies. 

 

A large, renovated hanok sits before them, their home, their living space. It's large enough to house their numbers, yet still quaint and beautiful despite the occasional chaos that stirs inside. The hanok is rustic, with the original stone foundation and dark wood paneling. The roof is newer due to the add-ons of the house, but still resembles the original clay roof. A hanok is a home built from nature, and it is only fitting to keep it that way in the surrounding environment.

 

When they’d first come to Seoul, the whole structure was run down and in desperate need of attention. Luckily, Yoongi and Luhan were good with their hands (plus Luhan had millions to spend) and the rest of their pack worked alongside them to make this house their den. 

 

Several lights shine through the windows as the three approach. Jimin’s tucked under the crook of Yoongi’s arm with his duffel bag and backpack slung over the same shoulder. “Looks like Minseok’s home,” he gestures with a flick of his head to the red Mazda their packmate drives. “I know he’s been craving a run. It’s hard being in the city so much.”

 

Yoongi grunts softly in affirmation. Out of the entire pack, it’s Yoongi and Minseok that get antsy the quickest. Both of them leap at the opportunity for a run, no matter the time of year. They’re athletic people, and it’s like their full time jobs as dancing instructors don’t give them enough to do. 

 

The door is left unlocked and Taehyung pops it open, the fortified wood and iron creaking under the pressure. The walls are painted white, with pale wood paneling and high ceilings that elongate the home. They all take turns toeing their shoes off just inside the entryway, where right off in the kitchen in front of him, the remaining pack members are preparing dinner. Taehyung drops his backpack off inside the entry hall, but Jimin carries his things into his and Yoongi’s room down the hallway to the left. 

 

The kitchen, much like the rest of the furniture, is modern, stainless steel with marble counters and hanging light fixtures. In another room to the right is their dining area, and ahead of the kitchen is their courtyard just a few steps below the hanok, small wooden balcony running the length of the building. The paneled doors are cracked open to let in the breeze from outside, glass windows providing a view to their forest backyard and the pond in the center of their U-shaped home. 

 

Buzzing with life, Taehyung enters the kitchen after Yoongi, swiping at a handful of grapes on the counter. The three of them have already eaten dinner, but they’ll still sit with the rest of the pack at the table and help prepare dinner. 

 

Minseok smiles at Taehyung from where he’s pouring steamed rice into bowls over the counter. Luhan is next to his mate, sauteing vegetables in a pan on the stove. Baekhyun and Chanyeol are busy in the other room setting up the table.

 

“How was dance practice today, Tae?” Minseok asks as Taehyung sidles up next to him, examining their dinner. The beta eyes Taehyung with amusement. “You’ve already eaten, haven’t you?”

 

Numbly, Taehyung nods. He enjoys their homecooked meals and an inkling of guilt crosses him when he’s already eaten dinner. 

 

“Yea, I was hungry after dance, hyung bought us food.”

 

Yoongi takes a seat at the kitchen island with a growl. “You  _ made  _ me, little shit.”

 

Taehyung frowns. “Shut up. You love spending money on me.”

 

“No, I absolutely do not,” Yoongi retorts with a click of his tongue. “I’ll spend money on Jimin, not you.”

 

Jimin enters the kitchen and smiles upon hearing Yoongi’s admission, pecking him on the cheek as he passes by to go help with dinner. The sign of affection seems to placate Yoongi, and Luhan chuckles.

 

“A kiss is all it takes to settle that beast,” Minseok muses, grinning when Yoongi growls in what’s supposed to be a menacing manner. 

 

“Only kisses from me!” Jimin clarifies, throwing a smile over his shoulder that very visibly relaxes the hard line of Yoongi’s shoulders. 

 

“Oh, if only the hunters knew,” Luhan also quips as he lifts the pan and tilts the sautéed vegetables into a serving dish off to the side. “That the great Daegu wolf, Min Yoongi, only needs a kiss on his cheek and then he’s as tame as a kitten.”

 

Yoongi’s teeth grit but he knows he’s lost this battle and he keeps his lips pursed. Baekhyun flutters through to pluck the bowls of rice from the counter and as he passes by Taehyung, his nose wrinkles. Baekhyun always had the most keen sense of smell out of all of them. Taehyung glances up from his phone in question and Baekhyun eyes him carefully. 

 

“You smell like human,” Baekhyun mumbles, sniffing once. “Kinda like Jimin before he was mated. He  _ reeked.  _ Is your class just full of humans?”

 

Jimin pipes up from the dining room. “Yeah, just us, maybe a couple of vampires. But Taehyung over there might just be smitten for one.”

 

All eyes shift and Taehyung groans, rolling his and shutting off his phone screen. “I am  _ not.  _ God, what makes you think—”

 

“A human?” Baekhyun drags out the final syllable, mischief glinting in his eyes. “Someone’s finally caught our Taehyungie’s eye, have they?”

 

Minseok and Luhan share a worried look for the briefest of moments, clearly not sharing Baekhyun’s and Jimin’s amusement for the situation. 

 

If there’s a flush to Taehyung’s cheeks, he can feel it blossoming, heat rising to his face. “ _ No,  _ I’ve only known him for, like, two hours. I was just trying to be nice.”

 

“More like creepy,” Jimin mumbles, and Taehyung’s brows pinch, jaw squared. Baekhyun giggles.

 

“Keep this up and we’re not going on a run tonight, all of you.”

 

This time, there’s not much play to Taehyung’s voice, and Baekhyun clamps his mouth shut and scurries away to finish setting the table. Everyone is quiet for a moment before they return to what they were doing, Yoongi grumbling under his breath. 

 

“Just. . . Be careful, Taehyung,” Minseok says delicately, helping Luhan with the rest of the side dishes. “We just got settled here. Getting close to a human might not be. . . the best thing.”

 

Jimin, now back in the kitchen, shifts his weight. Yoongi had thought the same when they first met, and it took some time for him to open up to Jimin because he was a human. They had made it work, Yoongi and the others, and here they are, with Jimin as one of their own. But for Taehyung. . . this is a different story. 

 

“You don’t have to baby me, I know,” Taehyung mutters, though he does understand Minseok’s gentle warning. He pushes off the counter and shuffles into the kitchen. “C’mon, let’s fill up before the run.”

 

They all eat dinner together, meat and rice and vegetables, with Yixing popping in late due to work. He’s a nurse, works days at the hospital, and sometimes comes home late when there are meetings. They talk about their days as they eat; Baekhyun’s day as a grad student, Jimin’s life in pre-med, Minseok and Luhan’s job as dance instructors, and other topics to discuss over dinner. There are plenty of leftovers that Minseok slides into the fridge and Chanyeol and Luhan clear the table of the mess while Jimin washes dishes. When they go for runs, its best not to gorge on food, and they can always replenish once they’ve come back home. 

 

It’s dark out by the time they’ve eaten dinner and relaxed for half an hour. Most of them are itching to get outside. Their last run was only two weeks previous, but with all of their varying schedules, it’s been difficult trying to figure out the right day. But now that they’re all together, they can all travel as one pack.

 

Everyone is scrambling to their feet the moment Taehyung announces it’s time. They all begin to gather around the door to the courtyard, shedding clothes and folding them or tossing them into individual piles by the entryway. In nothing but their skin, they pile out into the courtyard, where the forest beckons them, the last of the crickets chirping and the hooting of an owl greeting the pack. The cooler air causes goosebumps to peek through but they don’t shiver or bundle together. Instead, they get into formation, standing shoulder to shoulder in rows until all eight are present. 

 

Taehyung stands at the helm, head tipped back as he takes in the sounds and smells of the forest. He allows himself a quiet moment before shifting, the bones in his body rearranging, shimmering coat of tawny fur replacing sun-kissed skin. The rest of the pack follows suit and within a minute, eight wolves stand in the place of eight humans. The head alpha raises his head. 

 

His amber eyes catch the light from inside their home and with a motion of his head, the pack moves into the forest. They disappear one by one into the bushes and trees, following Taehyung, until silence falls over the area.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Nanji Campground is one of the largest campgrounds in Seoul, which is great for a weekend getaway, but terrible to tramp through in the middle of the night. Jeongguk is cold and wet, the weight of his pack firm across his back. The last thing he’d expected when he got home was for Namjoon to send him out on a mission, but here he is, trudging along behind Sehun and Tao, who are bickering over which direction to take.

 

“Namjoon hyung said the bodies were found by campsite D,” he can barely hear Tao’s voice over the wind rustling through the trees. “Banshees always hunt the same area. It doesn’t make sense for you to walk us over to campsite C.”

 

“We don’t even know where the fuck we’re going Tao, so what does it matter? D is further away  than C and you never know, it probably moved because it’s already killed like 3 people.”

 

Jeongguk can’t help but smile when he sees the line of Tao’s shoulders tighten, which helps to quell his own rising irritation. Sehun’s the most reckless out of the three of them. One of those ‘rush in first and ask questions later’ kind of people. Just fifteen minutes ago,  _ he’d _ been the one confident about where the group was going.

 

“Do us a favor, Sehun?” he calls out. “Attract that thing’s attention whenever we find it. I’m sure if you put your hands over your ears you can block out its screams.”

 

“I want to cover my ears so I don’t have to listen to his bullshit,” Tao mutters, and for that, Sehun’s nose scrunches and his dark brows pinch together.

 

“You know  _ what _ — _ ” _

 

At first, it just looks like the trick of the light through the leaves, flickering in and out of focus in the corner of Jeongguk’s vision. But something, an instinct, makes him freeze. “Guys,” he hisses between his teeth, eyes trained on the dark most swirling about head height several paces in front of them. “ _ Guys _ .”

 

“No, you listen to me, Oh Sehun—” Tao continues, gingerly stepping through the wet leaves around their feet. “The only reason Namjoon hyung let you come along is because you’re half way decent with a bow and luckily Kris hyung had stocked us with golden arrows. You can’t even remember the ingredients for a proper banishing spell—”

 

Sehun opens his mouth to spit out something, but Jeongguk calls louder.

 

_ “Guys!!” _

 

In exasperation, the two spin around to face Jeongguk. It isn't until Jeongguk pulls out his bow and strings a golden arrow that they notice the forming banshee in front of them. Her hair is long, dark, stringy, plastered over her face as she slowly spins to face their small group, robes twisting in the dark blanket of mist that covers most of her body. Sehun stutters out something that vaguely sounds like ‘holy shit’ just as the banshee opens her mouth, and Jeongguk lets the arrow fly. It sings through the air with a whistle, catching the banshee hard enough in the shoulder that it spins her around in mid-air. 

 

“Don’t just stand there, Sehun!” Tao drops to his knees, slinging his pack off his shoulders and slamming it to the ground in front of his feet. “Get her down so I can work this spell!”

 

Sehun fumbles for a moment, caught up in the action, but he raises his crossbow and loads a golden bolt into the bow. The banshee recovers. The hit wasn't nearly enough to take her down, and she reels around in a flurry of black mist, soulless golden eyes fixated on the three humans. Jeongguk is wise enough to take a few steps back, closer to where Tao is, to protect him as he begins the spell to banish the creature. 

 

“Hurry up with that spell!” Sehun hisses as he pulls the trigger, the bolt whistling through the air before finding its target. The bolt nails the banshee in the chest, a significant wound that causes the banshee to screech in distress, a sound so shrill, any birds in the area flutter out from the trees. Sehun, Tao, and Jeongguk wince, and Tao almost drops the spellbook.

 

Several glass vials spill out of Tao’s pack, and he swears under his breath in Chinese. Each vial contains an herb or tincture crucial to the spell. “I’m  _ working  _ on it!”

 

Instead of charging them, the banshee glides off between the trees. It’s not graceful, and she hits another one of the trees with her uninjured shoulder. By now, Jeongguk has notched another arrow and lets it fly, but it bounces off one of the low hanging branches and falls to the ground, useless. 

 

“Go after her!” 

 

Tao’s still trying to get the vials back in his bag when Jeongguk takes off after the creature. The adrenaline floods his system, heightening every sense as he follows the twisting trails off black mist through the campground. The banshee is  _ fast _ considering how injured she is, and he can’t get close enough to get off another shot. Not one that would matter anyway. 

 

Sehun is not far behind, sprinting with his crossbow in his one hand, and Tao is lagging. He's starting the incantation, salvaging whatever vials he has left to try and complete the spell, but they have to catch the banshee first. Jeongguk's lungs expand for air and his feet are starting to feel heavy, but they have to catch the banshee. He can hear Sehun loading his crossbow anyways in a futile attempt, and Jeongguk has the right of mind to dip his head down just as another golden bolt whizzes past him, just grazing the banshee in the arm. It doesn't seem to stop her. 

 

More than once, Jeongguk’s feet catch on an exposed root or slide in a particularly thick pile of wet leaves. He goes down once, the full of weight the fall catching on his left elbow and he feels the pain of it in his teeth. It’s a hell of a night for a chase like this and the gap between the hunters and the banshee widens by a second. He’s got to hand it to the creature, her sense of self-preservation was not something he’d been expecting. 

 

The trees begin to thin out, giving way to cityscape instead of forest. It’s a little past two in the morning, so there’s practically no foot traffic or cars, which makes it easy to see the dark, misty tendrils that trail after the banshee as she rounds the end of the access road. There’s no time to catch their breath, even though every pull into Jeongguk’s lungs burns. He and Sehun and Tao are so focused on chasing the banshee that they don’t bother paying attention to their surroundings. 

 

Tao must be just halfway with the spell, still lagging behind, and Jeongguk wonders for how much longer they can run before they can’t anymore or before someone gets hit by a car. They’ve given up on shooting at the banshee for now and rely solely on Tao to finish the banishing spell and end their chase. Sehun is running just behind Jeongguk but even he, no matter how great he is with a crossbow, can’t aim when he’s sprinting so fast and for so long. 

 

“God,  _ fuck,  _ when is this thing going to  _ stop?”  _ Sehun growls, his voice slightly breathy and raspy, as he fumbles to load a bolt into his bow. Jeongguk swallows down an answer when there’s a whistling sound in the air, his eyes watching as the banshee suddenly topples forward. There’s one last piercing screech before a cloud of smoke and mist hits the ground between alleyways. The hunters all come to a halt, each one as bewildered as the next, panting and nearly out of breath.

 

The banshee had disintegrated, as all banshees do when they’re killed. Nothing remains except for a pile of tattered cloth and smoke. 

 

“Nice hit, Sehun,” Jeongguk exhales, turning to face the elder hunter. But Sehun still has his crossbow at the ready, golden bolt loaded, brows knit together. He hadn’t fired anything.

 

“That. . . wasn’t me.”

 

Jeongguk inclines his head to see Tao behind Sehun. Tao looks just as lost as the other two.

 

“I’m not finished with my spell. I was— I was  _ almost  _ done, but that wasn’t me.”

 

A weird sensation twists at Jeongguk’s gut. He stands up, running his tongue over his lips and glancing around. “Then who the hell—”

 

Suddenly, there’s the cool press of metal against Jeongguk’s throat, and the same goes for Sehun and Tao. Jeongguk immediately freezes, seizing up. There are no footsteps, but there is a voice just to the right of him, and a warm breath against his neck. 

 

“Tsk. You three couldn’t even chase after a banshee? What sad excuses for hunters, I’ll say.”

 

Jeongguk can only shift his eyes to the side to hear who’s talking, and he can hear Sehun scowl from his position. Tao’s book drops to the ground. 

 

They’re surrounded by vampires. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot went on in this chapter, from Jeongguk meeting Taehyung to Jeongguk fucking up an easy mission, and in between it all you're introduced to Yoongi and the rest of the pack! We hope you enjoy that little cliffhanger at the end ;)
> 
> Thank you guys for the support so far! It really is motivating us, and we hope you're all excited for what's to come next, especially now that Jeongguk has met Taehyung. Once again, our thread for our characters is [here](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas/status/928063880554827776) so feel free to reference it if you're curious and/or want to keep track of who is who (because there are A LOT of characters!) 
> 
> We appreciate the comments and we'd love to read more for this chapter! And feel free to scream at (or with) us on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas) until the next update! <3


	3. III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The heat that was just crawling under Jeongguk’s skin vanishes, replaced by an ice cold sense of dread. He’s never met Sunmi in person, only seen her once from afar and even then, she’d scared the shit out of him. Namjoon had always said it was better to fly under the radar with these vampires, and being dragged back to their coven is going to put them front and center with the vampire queen herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year from us! :) Enjoy the update~

Jeongguk’s throat bobs under the dagger pressed against his skin. He glances up at the vampire holding him hostage, and he grumbles when he stares into Seulgi’s eyes.

 

Her eyes are glowing red, only faintly, and she smiles toothily. “Looks like little Jeonggukkie didn’t train enough,” she hums, which only makes Jeongguk scowl. Her friend, Sooyoung, is holding a dagger to Tao’s throat, and one of the other vampires, Junhong, almost has Sehun in a choke hold. 

 

The vampire who was the first to speak is Yongguk. His lean frame is dressed in all black, top buttons of his shirt popped open to reveal part of the tattoo that spans his entire chest. His longer hair is pushed off his forehead, though a few wavy strands frame his long face. He, too, has red eyes.

 

He’s second in command in the vampire coven and while he has been cordial during official meetings, the hunters have heard plenty of stories about the vampire. Some being not very good.

 

“I’m sure you’ve realized why there are daggers against your necks,” he addresses, deep smoky voice settling in their chests. “And if you haven’t, well, Namjoon hasn’t been a very good teacher.”

 

Yongguk continues. “You’ve crossed into our territory. Now, if this had been during the day we may not be here, but it’s night, and I hope Namjoon has told you that you aren’t allowed to cross into our borders unannounced, especially if you’re chasing after some creature. Once it crosses into our territory, it’s no longer yours to worry about. But all three of you kept on running and you  _ still  _ couldn’t catch that thing.”

 

Seulgi laughs in Jeongguk’s ear and his blood flares hot under his skin. They all know about designated vampire territory, but it had been the last thing on their minds during the chase. 

 

“Hey,  _ fuck _ you,” Sehun spits, straining against Junhong’s arms. “We chased that thing all the way out of Nanji campground in the middle of the night and in the rain—“

 

Tao’s voice is a little thin when he interrupts, speaking low through his teeth, careful not to move his throat too much against the blade at his skin. “ _ Sehun _ .”

 

“Can I just break his neck, hyung?” Junhong asks as Sehun wriggles around. 

 

Yongguk’s eyes narrow. “As tempting as that sounds. . . no. Sunmi wants them all in one piece. We’re not here to kill them, not today, at least. I’m afraid our truce would end and all hell would break loose. We need to take them back to the coven. Anyone oppose?”

 

The heat that was just crawling under Jeongguk’s skin vanishes, replaced by an ice cold sense of dread. He’s never met Sunmi in person, only seen her once from afar and even then, she’d scared the shit out of him. Namjoon had always said it was better to fly under the radar with these vampires, and being dragged back to their coven is going to put them front and center with the vampire queen herself. 

 

“You could just let us go?” he blurts out. “We shouldn’t be here, we’re sorry. We were just so focused on trying to get that banshee—“

 

Sooyoung hums. “Mm, we can’t let you go easy, part of the rules. Besides, Sunmi finally gets to meet you.”

 

Namjoon is going to kill them whenever he finds out. 

 

“But we aren’t even that far into your territory!” Jeongguk finds himself pressing forward enough that the edge of the knife bites into his skin. “Come on, what are you even going to do with us? This has to be more trouble than we’re worth.”

 

Tao hisses at Jeongguk to shut up, and Yongguk folds his arms over his chest. “Oh, you’re a lot further than you should be, Jeon. If we ventured into your territory, you would do the same to us, and you can even ask Namjoon when he comes for you. Enough chitchat, let’s get moving.”

 

Sehun squawks in protest as Junhong wrestles him into moving forward, but Tao and Jeongguk put up little resistance. Something warm and wet trickles down the side of Jeongguk’s neck and it’s only now he realizes that he’s bleeding a little. “Seulgi, come  _ on _ , lay off.”

 

Seulgi relents with a sigh, grabbing Jeongguk’s arms and forcing them at his back, fingers digging into his wrists. Her dagger is tucked away. “What, I can’t have a little fun? After all, I thought you were supposed to be this  _ great  _ hunter—”

 

One thing that Jeongguk prides himself on is keeping his temper in check, but everyone has their breaking point and Seulgi is  _ always _ pushing his buttons. “I’m  _ fucking _ tired of everyone saying that. This is  _ bullshit _ !”

 

Tao is still struggling as he passes Jeongguk, but he manages to step closer to him and Sehun and hiss out a warning. “Just shut  _ up,  _ both of you! Namjoon’s gonna get us out soon. Keep your mouth shut so we don’t  _ die.” _

 

Logically, Jeongguk knows he’s right. So he breathes sharply through his nose and out through his mouth, letting Seulgi steer him even further into vampire territory.

 

 

* * *

 

 

After what must be a mile or more of a walk, they stop in front of a warehouse. They’re in the city, but not many live in the immediate vicinity of the warehouse. The vampires enter through one of the side doors, sliding open the heavy metal door and pushing the humans inside. Although the outside of the warehouse is lackluster and rusting, the inside is a stark contrast: modern furniture, fixtures, and rooms. It’s surprising, to say the least. Not to mention impressive. 

 

But Jeongguk won’t give the vampires that satisfaction.

 

There are multiple floors, connected by stairs and by a elevator system. The warehouse is still dark and their eyes have to adjust as they stumble their way into the supposed throne room. Any vampires around stare at them, as if they’re prey, red eyes glowing in the dim lights. Surely every vampire in the warehouse has smelled them. 

 

“I suggest you don’t speak when you’re in front of Sunmi,” a vampire, Daehyun, tells the group. “Only speak when she addresses you. You might find yourself in more trouble with the rest of the coven if you speak out of line.”

 

Sehun attempts to retort, but Tao kicks him in the shin hard enough for Sehun to nearly buckle. Junhong hauls Sehun up with a sort of snicker. 

 

Two vampires stand outside the entrance to the throne room and they step aside to let the group pass, with Yongguk in the lead. Jeongguk glances around his shoulders to catch a glimpse of the vampire queen on the far end of the room. He can’t see much. They proceed forward, only the hunter’s footsteps heard. The room is narrow and long, with chairs and tables pushed to the walls, vampires sitting in them and on each other’s laps watching the humans. Ahead of them sits Sunmi in a velvet red chaise lounge, a sheer black lace dress cascading against the floor when she adjusts her posture in the lounge. Her presence alone is enough to make Jeongguk shiver.

 

They come to a halt just below the lounge chair, only separated from the vampire queen by two stairs. Yongguk slides past them and he gently holds Sunmi’s wrist, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of her hand before he steps back down. Sunmi doesn’t say a word for a minute, just folds the fur blanket around her shoulders and eyes the hunters. Tao shifts his weight next to Jeongguk.

 

“I didn’t know you were a Jeon,” is what leaves Sunmi’s mouth first. Jeongguk’s lips purse and his fists curl, but she only smiles, eyes darting across all three. “And all of you are around the same age. I didn’t think you would head out without Namjoon, or any other experienced hunter. He must have had immense trust in you to go out on your own at night. He’s always been too soft, but I suppose Seokjin is rubbing off on him too.”

 

“Namjoon hyung doesn’t need to be involved in every mission,” Jeongguk takes it upon himself to be the one to speak, hoping and praying that his voice doesn’t shake. Sunmi is an even more imposing figure up close. “He works too hard. We were handling it, and it was an honest mistake coming into your territory.”

 

It’s unnerving standing in front of Seoul’s vampire queen. The ball of dread still sits heavy in the pit of Jeongguk’s stomach. But luckily Sehun seems to have taken the hint and remains silent, even if Jeongguk can see all the venomous words swimming in his eyes. He might be reckless but at least Sehun understands the gravity of the situation. 

 

On the other hand Tao looks pale, visibly trembling but with his jaw clenched tight, eyes trained firmly on the second stair instead of looking anywhere else. They’re in the lion’s den now, so to speak, and Sunmi could have them all killed instantly if she so chose. 

 

“We’re sorry,” Jeongguk continues, daring to make and keep eye contact with Sunmi. “I’m sure Namjoon hyung will give you whatever you want to have us returned safely—“

 

“Ah, how brave you are,” Sunmi muses, resting her arm on the armrest, placing her chin atop the back of her hand. “Namjoon will have to come here to retrieve you, as per our rules. I want nothing in return from you; I would like to have a chat with Namjoon, just between us, and now he will have a reason to come here. Himchan, my phone, please.”

 

There’s a silent moment as one of the vampires brings Sunmi her phone. She takes it in her free hand, and in the silence, taps away at the screen. A couple of minutes pass, nobody daring to speak, and then she hands her phone back to Himchan and fixes her eyes on the hunters.

 

“There, your precious Joonie just got the message. Don’t worry; I didn’t forget the details. He won’t see the message for another couple of hours, but rest assured, he’ll be here well before the afternoon.”

 

Jeongguk’s teeth grind together. This means he’s definitely going to miss his classes tomorrow morning. . . or later  _ this _ morning, rather. “I’m sure if you’d wanted to talk to him, you could’ve just asked.”

 

“I was planning on it, but this is a good opportunity to have him over. Don’t be so upset, you three; Namjoon and his father set up these rules, and it was not just me. I’ll make sure none of my vampires touch you. For now, have a seat, get settled, maybe sleep, and wait until Namjoon brings you home.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

It’s not unusual for Namjoon to wake up early in the morning, before eight o’clock like today, his arms wrapped around Seokjin’s chest and his chin hooked over his shoulder. He’d admit that he had stayed up late, too anxious about the three college students on their mission, but Seokjin had coaxed him into bed reminding him that those three would be fine and be home safe before morning. They’d probably sleep for most of the morning and afternoon depending on how tired they were. Seokjin is no doubt reassuring, but also convincing. Nobody else would be able to drag him to bed and force him to sleep without there being an argument, and Seokjin wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. 

 

But now that it’s morning and Namjoon has been off-and-on-sleeping for the past hour, he decides he’s going to get up and make his rounds around the house. He grumbles as he blinks his eyes open. The blankets are warm, Seokjin is warm, and he’s tempted to not get out of bed. He does reach across the bed for his phone, sliding his arm away from Seokjin, causing the elder to stir and crack open his eyes. 

 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you,” Namjoon murmures in apology, returning his hand underneath the blankets. Seokjin shifts and twists his head around, blinking up at Namjoon with a drowsy smile.

 

“God, would it kill you to sleep in one morning,” Seokjin teases, turning over to his other side so that he can throw his arm over Namjoon’s chest. “What’s more important than me, hm?”

 

Namjoon smiles, ducking his head down to peck Seokjin on the lips. “I’m restless, can’t help it,” he hums, kissing Seokjin again. “Nothing’s more important than you. You already know that.”

 

“Mm, I’m not convinced. I know you’re still worried about the kids. I’m sure they’re passed out in bed—”

 

“They’d better be,” Namjoon grumbles, reaching for his phone again, this time swiping it from the nightstand and pulling it into bed with him. Seokjin snuggles against him once more as Namjoon taps away at his phone, unlocking the screen and squinting at his messages. His thumb freezes over the one from his contact,  _ Sunmi. _

 

Seokjin straightens, more in tune with Namjoon than anyone else has ever been. “What’s wrong, Joon?” His eyes, bleary with sleep, focus quickly on the light of Namjoon’s phone screen, narrowing like an angry cat’s when he sees the contact name on the message banner. “What does  _ she _ want?”

 

Namjoon’s eyes graze over the message and his jaw clenches, grip around his phone tightening. He doesn’t have to read word for word to know.

 

“Sunmi’s fucking got them.”

 

He runs his hand down his face. “They crossed the border. She’s had them since almost 3 a.m.  _ Fuck,  _ I let them on their own to do  _ one _ simple thing—”

 

“ _ What? _ ” Seokjin sits bolt right up in bed, sheets and blankets pooling around his waist. “They probably didn’t even realize they’d crossed the border— They’re just  _ kids _ , what is she thinking?”

 

It’s Seokjin that leaves the bed first, thick brows pinched together in the center of his forehead. His bare feet make little slapping noises against the wood floor of their bedroom as he strides over to their shared dresser. Namjoon tosses the sheets aside as he leaves too, too frustrated to read the message in full. He and Seokjin are already throwing on clothes.

 

“How could they  _ not  _ kill that banshee in the damn campsite? They went  _ miles  _ out of their way! God, why do I even bother--”

 

“Joon,” Seokjin cuts him off, the top of his hair poking out of the neck of the sweater he’s pulled over his head. “Do you really think the boys would have  _ willingly _ gone into vampire territory? Something must have happened.”

 

“ _ No _ , but if they had done their job they wouldn’t be in this mess. I’m sure they had just crossed without knowing but they should have known to call it off after they were chasing it so far out of its normal hunting grounds. Now we have to clean up after their mess.”

 

Once Seokjin’s finished getting dressed, he opens the top drawer to their dresser and pulls out a single, sharpened stake with a silver tip and tucks it into the waistband of his jeans. “Well, if she —or any of those little lackeys of hers— harmed a single hair on their heads, we’re going to have an even bigger mess to clean up.”

 

“I doubt she’d let the vampires go near them, she knows the consequences.” Namjoon double checks that his gun is loaded before tucking it against his waistband also, just to have. “And here I thought we would have an enjoyable morning together. . .”

 

When Seokjin looks over at him, there’s a rueful smile on his lips. “There’s always tomorrow morning, right?”

 

Namjoon gnaws at his gum as he pulls on a jacket. His lips quirk, if only for a moment. “Yeah, I guess there’s always tomorrow. Come on, let’s go get the kids. I’m sure they’ve had enough fun with vampires for a day.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Jeongguk didn’t sleep. It has to be morning now, but the hours continue to drag on. The benches against the throne room’s tables are cold and unforgiving, but somehow Sehun managed to find some comfort. He’s been leaned up against Tao’s shoulder for some time now, every inhale a loud snore. 

 

Thankfully, the vampires have left them alone for the most part after Sunmi dismissed them, and quite honestly Jeongguk’s just tried to keep his head down, occasionally kicking Sehun underneath the table when he gets too noisy. 

 

He looks up from tracing the wood grain pattern on the table just in time to see Tao yawn so big that his jaw audibly clicks. “You think Namjoon hyung is on his way yet?”

 

“I hope so,” Tao murmurs, folding his hands together on the tabletop. “I don’t like being here. Feels like I’m just a walking snack.”

 

Jeongguk only nods, head flopping back down against his arms. Sehun snores away and Jeongguk has the mind to kick him again, maybe shove him over in his chair for shits and giggles because he’s so bored, but the doors around the corner are flung open and the sound of them slamming into the wall jolts Jeongguk and Tao. Sehun almost falls over from the noise.

 

The three have never been more relieved —and terrified— to see Namjoon  _ and  _ Seokjin storming into the room, catching Sunmi’s attention. She’s been seated on her throne for most of the time they’ve been locked up in here, and she rises for the first time. 

 

“Namjoon, Seokjin, I see that you’ve received my message—”

 

Namjoon’s lips form into a scowl as he cuts Sunmi off. “Cut the fucking formalities, Sunmi, I’m here for my hunters. Jeongguk, Sehun, Tao, come here.”

 

Everyone in the room freezes and surprisingly it’s Sehun that moves first, but he barely manages to get his feet out from the bench before one of the vampires —Junhong— steps between the hunters with a hard set to his mouth. 

 

“Choi Junhong,” Seokjin’s voice rings out, bouncing off the floor and walls, every syllable short and crisp. “Step back.”

 

Jeongguk stares wide eyed at the scene, frozen from where he was rising to stand. Several agonizing seconds pass before Sunmi laughs and motions for Junhong to step back with a jerk of her head. At her side, Yongguk looks less than amused, arms folded over his chest. 

 

“Why were they unsupervised, Namjoon? Young hunters shouldn’t be out so late at night.”

 

Namjoon fixes his eyes on Yongguk. “That’s none of your damn business, and you know it. You had no right to keep them here, let alone force them into the coven. An escort home would have proven sufficient, none of my other hunters were out, and you could have delivered them back to our territory. This is nonsense.”

 

Like a scolded child, Jeongguk follows Sehun and Tao over to where Namjoon and Seokjin stand. “Sorry, hyung,” he whispers once they’re close enough. “This is my fault. I should’ve just let the banshee go, I didn’t even think about the borders—“

 

Namjoon glances over at Jeongguk, his brows pinched. “You’re right, you should have. That’s your lesson for next time, keep watch for the borders. We’ll talk more back home.”

 

When Namjoon’s finished, Sunmi clears her throat, red-painted lips curling into a smile. “I wanted to keep them safe here, no bad intentions. Merely a misunderstanding. I wanted to have a talk with you, Namjoon, but seeing as you are impatient and need to teach these children a lesson. . . I’ll save it for next time. Let this be your warning, Tao, Sehun, Jeongguk; watch where you step, or you might end up back here, with a less than friendly environment. Do I make myself clear?”

 

Tao very visibly curls in on himself, straightening only when Seokjin places a hand on his shoulder. The smile that turns up the corners of Seokjin’s lips holds no warmth, his eyes trained on the vampire queen. “Sunmi, surely, you’re not making threats? Aren’t we past all this?”

 

In this moment, Jeongguk isn’t sure who he finds more terrifying. 

 

The smile on Sunmi’s face only widens, but there’s also no warmth. “Of course. I would never threaten the Kim’s, let alone a Jeon. Though I can’t speak for all of my vampires.”

 

“Well that’s one intelligent decision you’ve made today—“

 

Mortified, Jeongguk tugs on the back of Seokjin’s sweater, cutting him off. “Jin hyung, it’s not worth it. Let’s just— let’s just go home.”

 

“He’s right, Jinnie. Let’s go home,” Namjoon says with a softer tone to his voice, a contrast to the sharp glare he sends Sunmi as he corrals the three hunters and Seokjin together. Behind them, Sunmi wishes them farewell, before the vampires escort the hunters out of the warehouse and towards their truck. The doors of the warehouse creak shut behind them, and the three young hunters squint their eyes in the sunlight.

 

“Damn, is the sun  _ really  _ that bright?” Sehun hisses. Half of his face is pink from where it had been shoved against the table during his nap.

 

“Get in the truck, Sehun-ah,” Tao breathes like he’s strung on his last nerve, also squinting against the change in light. 

 

Jeongguk follows them into the back of the truck, and as soon as he settles onto the seat, wedged between the door and Tao’s thigh, tiredness settles into his bones like nothing he’s ever felt before. Namjoon swings into the passenger seat, Jin in the driver’s. 

 

“You three are something else,” Namjoon mumbles with a deep sigh.

 

“Sorry, hyung,” Jeongguk slurs for what feels like the hundredth time, letting his forehead rest against the back of the driver’s seat. “It won’t happen again. I promise.”

 

“What happened out there?”

 

Sehun’s the one to speak up. Not surprising since he’s the one that had actually managed to get some sleep. “We would’ve had that banshee but as soon as Jeongguk put an arrow in her, she ran right for vampire territory.”

 

“It was so hard to see what was happening,” Tao says softly. “If we’d known we were approaching the boundaries, we would’ve just let her go.”

 

“Why would she leave that area? Banshees don’t flee like that, let alone run away as soon as they’re attacked. They usually strike back. I’m assuming the vampires killed it?”

 

“They did,” Tao continues. “Killed it and then hauled us off. I don’t know, maybe since there were three of us, she thought running was the better option?”

 

“. . . Maybe. None of you got hurt?”

 

Jeongguk’s already half asleep but he mumbles out, “I’m fine” and Tao, then Sehun say the same. 

 

“Well,” Seokjin breathes, hands at 10 and 2 on the steering wheel as he eases the truck out onto the street. “Thank god for that. If that bitch Sunmi had laid a finger on any of you—“

 

“Jinnie. I know you don’t like her, but you need to keep your temper. If you three thought I was losing mine. . .” Namjoon places a comforting hand on Seokjin’s thigh. “Don’t try to kill her or harass her, please. That’s the last thing we need.”

 

“Forgot how scary you are when you’re mad, Jin hyung,” Jeongguk mutters, eyes closed, forehead still pressed into the seat in front of him. “Sunmi isn’t that bad in comparison.”

 

“We’re all going to take naps when we get home, agreed?” Seokjin interrupts, changing the subject. There’s a unanimous sound of agreement from everyone, and Sehun’s soft snores in the backseat. Namjoon’s head flops against the headrest.

 

“What a fuckin’ morning.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Taehyung heaves a tired sigh as he washes his hands and dries them off against his apron. There had been a huge rush of students not a minute ago and Taehyung has time to catch his breath, if only for a moment. Students sit around in the cafe inside the university typing away at their laptops or reading a book for one of their classes, and some are chatting with friends, coffee or treats in front of them. Coffee might jumpstar Taehyung, but he’s already had two coffees full of espresso and it’s  _ still  _ not enough.

 

_ Goddamn late night runs. _

 

His body only aches a bit, not very much, but his energy is no doubt drained. The pack had gone for a longer than usual run last night to stretch their legs and enjoy themselves before the weather starts getting colder and they stay inside more often. Runs do make him tired, but Taehyung isn’t sure why he’s  _ this  _ tired. Must have been dance practice.

 

All he wants to do is go home and nap but he’s stuck here for another two hours before they close. Luckily, they close early, and he can drive home before the sun sets. Dinner will be waiting for him at home and his stomach growls when his eyes stray over to the pastries in their display cases.

 

He leans against the counter, sleeves of his long shirt rolled up to his elbows, long fringe framing his face. He applied makeup to his undereyes this morning but his bags are beginning to peek through this late in the afternoon. 

 

As he’s relaxing from the early stress of being busy, the bell above the front door twinkles and Taehyung immediately picks up his head when he catches Jimin’s scent, citrusy with orange blossom and clementine and delicate with water lily. There’s the smell of Yoongi on him, of course, black pepper and wood just creeping into the mix. Jimin is dressed in casual clothes, one of Yoongi’s plaid shirts half tucked in (they’re the same height, but somehow the shirt still hangs off Jimin’s shoulders) and black jeans. His backpack is slung across his shoulder and he smiles, prancing up to the front counter.

 

“Long day?” Jimin asks with a smile, lounging against the counter like he always does when there’s a moment of calm at the coffee shop. “Feel like making me a chai tea latte?”

 

Taehyung stays where he is for a moment, staring into Jimin’s eyes before scoffing playfully and standing to make his drink. “I don’t feel like it, but I will, just for you.” 

 

“You’re the best, Tae,” Jimin praises him, moving around to the side so they can still continue talking. “Tired from last night? My feet feel like cinder blocks today.”

 

Taehyung steams the milk and nods. “Yeah, I’m beat. Must be from dance practice too, m’not used to that and going for long runs. It might be the last good one before snowfall, so I guess it was worthwhile.” 

 

Once the drink is done and Taehyung slides the insulated cup over the counter, he watches Jimin check his phone before closing both of his hands around the cup, savoring its warmth. The tips of his fingers barely touch together. “Mm,” he hums, taking a big swallow from the cup before he continues, “you’ll get used to it. I hope it doesn’t snow soon. I hate the cold.”

 

“You’re telling  _ me  _ I’ll get used to it? I’m your alpha, you haven’t even gone on a winter hunting expedition,” Taehyung laughs. He’s gone on said expeditions when he was younger, right when he turned of age at fifteen, and it was a 2-month long trip in winter to keep their supplies stocked. He dreads ever having to go on another. “You say you hate it but you love stealing my sweaters. You’re already wearing a stolen piece of clothing, don’t be so sly.” He sticks his tongue out at Jimin.

 

“I meant the dance practices,” Jimin retorts, sticking out his own tongue in retaliation. “And I can’t help that everyone else has such warm, comfortable clothes. Plus. . . I like having your guys’ scents on me. It’s really nice. Like the pack is with me even when we’re apart.”

 

“Ugh, you’re so sappy, Chim. I smell Yoongi more than anyone on you. You two cuddle after your run or something?”

 

“Mm ‘or something’,” Jimin’s got a cheeky little grin on his face, eyes flicking to his phone screen again. 

 

Mock gasping, Taehyung leans in. “Or ‘ _ something?’  _ Under my roof? Park Jimin, you’re  _ gross.” _

 

“You’re lucky we waited until we got to our bedroom,” Jimin teases, but the tops of his cheeks are turning red. “If Yoongi had his way—“

 

Taehyung just about screeches, catching the attention of a few coworkers and students. Jimin flushes, but he still has that grin on his face. The alpha ignores the eyes on them and instead gawks at his friend.

 

“No  _ wonder  _ he was so chipper this morning. Guess getting ass makes him a happy wolf.”

 

“Tae! Stop!” Jimin giggles, hiding his mouth behind the rim of his cup as he takes another sip. “I know you’re just jealous. That’s all.”

 

Huffing, Taehyung blows some of his bangs out of his face. “Hm, maybe I am. I’ll live out my days as a lonely alpha, just like Yoongi before he met you.”

 

There’s a glint in Jimin’s eyes as he slides down the counter a little ways so he can sit on one of the bar style stools, one elbow propped up on the counter. “Please,” he scoffs. “You could have your pick. Half the students in here have checked you out at least once.”

 

Taehyung fiddles with reorganizing their straw holder. “Yeah, but it’s kinda hard to explain why there’s a bunch more guys in the house when someone comes over. Girls get weirded out, guys think it’s weird too. Not the best place to bang someone, y’know?”

 

“Lots of people have roommates, Tae,” Jimin says, clucking his tongue in a way that comes off as more condescending than he probably means. For the third time since he’s arrived, his eyes flit over to his phone screen, brows pinching together for a second before he focuses back on Taehyung. “Sounds like an excuse to me.”

 

The younger just grumbles in response. He glances over at Jimin, back at it typing away on his phone. Taehyung, naturally curious, decides to ask.

 

“Why do you keep checking your phone? You that popular, Chim?”

 

“Ah, no. . . it’s just Jeongguk wasn’t in class today. And he hasn’t answered any of my texts. I just worry about him. That kid doesn’t take care of himself so I hope he hasn’t gone and made himself sick.”

 

“He wasn’t in class today?” Taehyung questions. “Why don’t you go check up on him or something? I’m sure the kid’s fine, must have ditched.”

 

Jimin’s bottom lip disappears behind his teeth for a few seconds. “I don’t know where he lives. And he  _ wouldn’t  _ ditch. I’m sure everything’s fine, but I worry about him. I  _ always _ get a reply text though, and he hasn’t even opened any of the ones I’ve sent.”

 

Taehyung just shrugs his shoulders, knowing he’s useless in the situation because he doesn’t know Jeongguk. “You’re starting to sound like an omega mother, Chim, he’s only. . . what? 2 years younger? I’m sure he’ll read your texts soon.”

 

With a roll of his eyes, Jimin stows his phone away in his pocket and takes another sip from his cup. “Speaking of, we never really talked about what you thought of him.” There’s that scary glint again, shining in his eyes. 

 

Eyeing his friend suspiciously, Taehyung regards him with caution. “What do you mean? You already said I was being a creep. Thought that’d be enough for you.”

 

“Well,  _ obviously _ , you’re interested in some way, right?” There’s that condescending tone again. “He’s cute — also single, in case you were wondering—“

 

“I was  _ not  _ wondering,” Taehyung replies quickly, a little too quickly. Jimin raises a brow like he doesn’t believe him. The alpha lets out a sigh, leaning against one of the coffee machines next to the front counter. “He  _ is _ cute, I’ll give you that much.”

 

The smile Jimin gives him is almost blinding. “Well good. You should try to talk to him more at practice. . . just with a little less of the creepy staring. If he’s there tomorrow, we should all get food together, sound good?”

 

“Mm, I don’t know. . . “

 

They have nothing going on tomorrow, but Taehyung just has a  _ feeling  _ that Jimin will come up with an excuse to escape and leave Taehyung to fend for himself. It’s happened before.

 

With one final sip, Jimin’s latte is finished and he leaves the empty insulated cup on the countertop. “Mm, you’re full of it,” he mocks, sticking out the tip of his tongue. “You never turn down food, let alone food with cute people.”

 

“Fine, fine.  _ Only  _ if he’s here tomorrow.” Taehyung reaches for Jimin’s cup, tossing it in the trash can underneath the counter. He then jabs Jimin’s chest with his finger. “You’re paying.”

 

Jimin smiles. “Deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our inspo thread doesn't have all the vampires listed (oops) but [here](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas/status/928063880554827776) it is anyways lol! 
> 
> The vampires will come into play later, so don't worry if you don't see them for a while. We're just figuring out the right time to bring them back ;)
> 
> Please continue leaving comments down below! Thank you for all of the support <3 Follow us on our [twitter](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas) if you haven't already! See you guys soon!


	4. IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeongguk misses the twitch of Taehyung’s nose when it’s announced he’ll be going out to eat with them. There’s something going on between Taehyung and Jimin that he doesn’t catch. “Just the three of us?”
> 
> “Yep. And I’m paying.”
> 
> Taehyung lets out a noise of triumph. When Jeongguk releases himself from his stretch and stands back up, Taehyung’s eyes are watching him expectantly. “I hope you’re hungry, because I have just the place in mind.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update! Didn't mean for it to be this long :( 
> 
> But please enjoy this almost 7k chapter! This chapter starts to set the "mood" or the pace of the story. If you have questions afterwards, please, ask away! :)

It takes Jeongguk almost an entire day to recover. Most of it he spends sleeping, only waking up for dinner and passing out again after. And really, he doesn’t even feel that much better on the morning of the second day. Maybe it’s his body’s way of telling him that he really needed the rest. But as much as he’d like to lay around in bed for another twenty four hours, there are classes to attend, and one very angry Park Jimin to see.

 

He wasn’t so stupid as to  _ not _ text Jimin back, but it had been a reply full of spelling errors and at least two emojis that probably weren’t even used in the correct context. 

 

Even with his best efforts, Jeongguk is almost late for chemistry —just the cherry on top of an already crappy morning. Sehun had used up all the hot water in the shower before Jeongguk could get to it, which left him in a foul mood. And on his way across campus he’d tripped over a curb and skinned his knee. It’s only sheer luck that he manages to slink into one of the only other vacant seats in the classroom while the professor’s back is turned. The downside to that is that it’s very obvious to sharp eyed Park Jimin, who manages to glare at Jeongguk from his chair a few spaces over. Jeongguk would be foolish not to acknowledge him, but he just gives Jimin a weak wave and slumps himself over his notebook. 

 

Class usually drags on, but today it seems like it’s over before it’s even begun. When the professor dismisses them, Jeongguk scrambles to get his things inside his backpack before Jimin can get his claws into him. In his rush, he knocks over his notebook, and he swears as he fumbles to pick it up. When he bends down to grab it, there’s another hand seemingly out of nowhere that snatches it up off the ground before he can even blink. 

 

Jeongguk already knows whose hand that belongs to before he stands up. When he does stand, he stares right into Jimin’s face, the elder shoving the notebook out for Jeongguk to take, normally docile and pretty features turned upside down. His lips are in a frown and his eyes are nothing short of a glare. Jeongguk swallows, swears Jimin’s gaze sees straight into his damn  _ soul _ , fixing him in place where he stands. 

 

“ _ Where,”  _ Jimin huffs in mild annoyance, his tone making Jeongguk shrink into himself, “have you _ been _ ? I’ve been worried sick!”

 

Even though Jeongguk is several inches taller, he feels very small in this moment. Tentatively, he reaches out for the notebook, closing his fingers around the bottom edge. “I texted you,” he replies, defensive, “I just wasn’t feeling good. Had a fever and stuff.”

 

Jimin’s arm drops to his side. He, frankly, is unimpressed. “God, you dummy, that’s what happens when you don’t get enough sleep. You’re turning into a mess. Even Taehyung was worried about you.”

 

“He. . . was?” Jeongguk blinks, then shakes his head and finishes stuffing the notebook into his bag. “Sorry, didn’t mean to worry you guys. I feel alot better today.”

Taehyung was worried about him? Why does his stomach feel all fluttery knowing that? It’s weird.

 

Maybe he really is getting sick.

 

Jimin heaves out a sigh, knowing he can no longer drill Jeongguk with questions about where he’s been. He does visibly perk up, however, when Jeongguk mentions that he’s feeling better.

 

“You’re feeling better? Good, that makes me happy.” The apprehension in his voice is beginning to disappear. “I was hoping you’d show up today because Taehyung and I were wondering if you’d want to go get dinner or something after practice later. I’m paying, it’ll be my little treat.”

 

Really, it would be rude for Jeongguk to bail on an invitation like this a second time. That, combined with the guilt of making his hyung worry, and also to hopefully circumvent any additional questions about his absence, Jeongguk nods his head several times in agreeance. “That’d be really awesome. I’m pretty hungry already.”

 

Jimin’s eyes light up. “You’ll go?” The frown that had been on his face now turns into a smile, hand reaching out to tug on Jeongguk’s sleeve as he steps around him, beginning to drag Jeongguk away from his chair. “Then let’s tell Tae and we’ll head out after practice. Are you going to skip out today? Or are you feeling well enough to dance?”

 

“I can dance! I promise I’m feeling better. I can’t let you guys practice without me.”

 

“Okay, but don’t push yourself too hard. You’re just getting over something and I don’t want you getting worse.”

 

They exit the building and start walking towards the performance arts building where the dance studio resides. Jimin releases his grip on Jeongguk’s sleeve. 

 

“Where do you want to go eat? Tae and I haven’t decided on anything yet, we were hoping you’d come to help make a decision.”

 

It’s brisk outside and Jeongguk shivers, burrowing his nose into the baggy neckline of his sweatshirt. “I’m really not picky,” he says slowly. “You guys are the hyungs. You should pick.”

 

“Tae said the same thing, that because I’m the hyung I get to pick,” Jimin mumbles, just barely nuzzling into his sweater when a chilly breeze whips by them. They pick up the pace and slide right into the dance studio. Jimin sets his backpack down on the floor along the wall and Jeongguk mimics his actions. 

 

“I’ll be right back, I need to change into my dance clothes. Tae should be here in a minute.” 

 

Jeongguk’s already wearing ‘dance’ clothes: baggy sweats and a tank top under his sweatshirt. The last thing he likes doing is bringing another set of clothes on campus, but Jimin likes to look fashionable during his other classes. With a grunt of affirmation, Jeongguk steps into the dance room— the first one there.

 

With his bag set off to the side, he starts to run through one of their warm ups. Nothing too strenuous, but enough to get the larger muscle groups in his body warm. One by one, more students enter the studio, either finding spots to warm up in or disappearing into the bathroom area to change. When Jimin enters the dance room again, he’s wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt, unsurprisingly with the sleeves too big for his arms. He drops his duffle bag off next to his belongings and joins Jeongguk to stretch.

 

Jimin usually leads Jeongguk through the stretches, and Jeongguk always marvels and wonders if Jimin is  _ really  _ human with how flexible and dynamic his body is. Yeah, Jeongguk’s flexible too, but his body aches if he tries to attempt whatever Jimin’s doing. The only thing they can both do equally is touch their toes and that’s saying something. They’re in the middle of stretching when Taehyung emerges from the bathroom wearing sweats and a hoodie, hopping over to them with a grin. Jimin turns his head just as Taehyung playfully pushes down on Jimin’s back to make him reach out more, and the elder swats at Taehyung.

 

“Hyung is so flexible!” Taehyung laughs, staring at Jimin seated on the floor. Jeongguk shakes his hair out of his face and glances up at Taehyung. When their eyes meet, Jeongguk blinks, and Taehyung smiles. “Ah, you showed up today?”

 

“I, uh—” Jeongguk can feel his face heating up, so he looks down at the floor and focuses on bending into a forward fold. “Feeling better today,” he mumbles out, reaching his fingertips around his toes.

 

“He said he’ll go out to eat with us after practice. You had better decide where you want to go, Tae, because we’re leaving it up to you.” Jimin crosses his legs and places his hands behind him on the floor. 

 

Jeongguk misses the twitch of Taehyung’s nose when it’s announced he’ll be going out to eat with them. There’s something going on between Taehyung and Jimin that he doesn’t catch. “Just the three of us?”

 

“Yep. And I’m paying.”

 

Taehyung lets out a noise of triumph. When Jeongguk releases himself from his stretch and stands back up, Taehyung’s eyes are watching him expectantly. “I hope you’re hungry, because I have just the place in mind.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

It’s a barbeque restaurant that Taehyung drags them too, one that Jeongguk’s never been to. Tucked away on a side street with no outside advertisement, it’s not hard to miss. Even though the inside is small, the smells inside immediately make Jeongguk’s mouth water and his stomach rumble. 

 

The woman behind the counter waves at them, clearly knows Taehyung from the happy but fond smile on her face as she motions for them to take a seat. They slide into a booth in the far back corner, and Jeongguk has to blink twice when the woman lays down their menus because he  _ swears _ for the briefest of moments that he sees iridescent scales glittering over the back of her hand.

 

The illusion is gone, however, when she pulls back her hand and clasps them together. Jeongguk knows its rude to stare so he fixes his attention on the menu in front of him.

 

Taehyung sits across from him and he talks animatedly with the woman, stretching out his legs under the table. His feet knock against Jeongguk’s and Jeongguk instinctively jerks back, tucking his feet, but neither Jimin or Taehyung care to notice.

 

“We’ll just have the usual, noona,” Taehyung hums, in that low, deep voice of his. His smile is bright and his long bangs shift across his face when he turns his head to look at Jeongguk. “What would you like, Jeongguk-ah? We’re just ordering barbeque, but if you want something else, feel free to pick whatever you want. Hyung’s paying anyways.”

 

There’s a mild scoff that comes from Jimin next to Jeongguk, and Jeongguk presses his hands into his lap out of nervous habit. “Whatever you’re getting is fine,” he mumbles, looking up just as the woman finishes scribbling their order onto a little notepad in her hand. “But maybe two extra orders? I can eat alot.”

 

“Well at least you’re hungry,” Jimin says, stacking their menus up on the side to hand over, “I was worried you wouldn’t have an appetite so soon after being sick.”

 

Right. ‘Sick.’

 

“I recover pretty fast,” Jeongguk hopes the reply is smooth as he fiddles with the chopstick in front of him. At least Jimin seems to have bought the cover story. Never in his life has Jeongguk been so happy to be an exhausted college student. All he has to do is over exaggerate and Jimin will empathize.

 

Taehyung rests his arm on the table, placing his cheek in the palm of his hand. “Guess you’re like me. I recover quickly from stuff like that too. Bet you still can’t eat as much as me, though, Jeongguk-ah.” His lips turn upward into a wide grin, and when Jeongguk looks, he notices that Taehyung’s lips resemble a little heart. 

 

Never one to back down from a challenge, Jeongguk scoffs, letting his eyes narrow slightly. “Wanna bet?”

 

There’s a twinkle in Taehyung’s eyes. “Bet. Jimin, you in?”

 

Jimin shakes his head. “No, but if one of you throws up after gorging on food, I’m  _ not _ cleaning it up.”

 

“You’re boring, hyung,” Taehyung pouts, leaning back in the booth as the woman comes by carrying a tray of side dishes and rice. “And we won’t puke. Right, Jeongguk-ah?”

 

Jeongguk nods, already salivating at the meat hasn’t even come out yet. He’s practically vibrating in his seat with excitement over the meal, happy for once to not have to worry about his hunter’s responsibilities even if it’s just for a little while.

 

Jimin ends up being in charge of helping set up the center of the table once the meat arrives. The griddle heats up in no time, and soon the smell of cooking beef really does have Jeongguk’s mouth watering and his stomach growling. Jimin swats Taehyung’s fingers away with the tongs he has brandished in his hands, and Jeongguk pretends not to be endeared by the way Taehyung pouts at being reprimanded.

 

“What’s the big rush for? You’ll get it when it’s done cooking,” Jimin mumbles, just as Taehyung shoves a mouthful of rice in his mouth. Taehyung tries to speak, but takes a moment to swallow before trying again. 

 

“I just want to eat the meat before Jeongguk, so I can win the competition,” Taehyung replies, to which Jimin rolls his eyes, grabbing at a serving of meat and carrying it over to Jeongguk’s plate. Taehyung looks mildly offended and Jeongguk can’t help but laugh. 

 

“Well, you two can take over in a bit. Take turns, be nice.”

 

They continue eating serving after serving of meat, rice, and side dishes, even to the point where they think they’re starting to get full. Jimin hasn’t eaten nearly as much as the other two, and when he’s done with the meat, he hands the tongs over to Taehyung. They’re starting to slow down but they’re not done yet. Or, that’s what they think, until Jimin is getting out his wallet.

 

Taehyung eyes Jimin through a mouthful of meat. “You want to leave already, hyung?” he asks, though his voice is garbled due to the food in his mouth. He swallows it and takes a sip of water. 

 

Jimin digs out his card and places it on the table, his phone in hand. “No, well, I forgot that I have something to go to soon. I didn’t think we’d stay longer at practice or spend more time here. I gotta go. Yoongi’s outside, so just drive yourself home Tae, and give Jeongguk a ride home if he needs one.”

 

He’s sitting on the inside of the booth and Jeongguk slides out to let Jimin exit the booth, throwing his coat over his shoulders. Jeongguk doesn’t notice, but Taehyung is fidgety, unsure of what to do, as Jimin prepares to leave. 

 

“I didn’t know you had somewhere to be,” Taehyung utters, setting aside his chopsticks. There’s a tone to his voice Jeongguk can’t quite place, be it confusion or something else.

 

“I forgot about it until Yoongi texted me earlier.” 

 

Jimin stuffs his phone in his pocket and Jeongguk seats himself in the booth again. “I’ll text you later, Tae. Use my card for dinner, I don’t have money on me. But bring it home! Don’t forget it.” He throws Jeongguk a smile. “Sorry I had to cut it short, Jeongguk. I’ll see you tomorrow for class. Tae will keep you company, yeah?”

 

Taehyung mumbles a “yeah” in reply and flips meat over with the tongs. 

 

This entire time Jeongguk can feel something tightening in the center of his chest until it barely feels like he can draw a breath. And his palms are sweaty, Jesus Christ. “Uh, yeah, it’s okay. I’ll see you in class tomorrow? Thanks for the food.”

 

“My treat. Get some sleep again, see you tomorrow.” And with that, Jimin exits the restaurant, waving to the woman at the counter before he’s out the door. That leaves Jeongguk and  Taehyung at the booth by themselves in the nearly empty restaurant, the sizzling of the meat the only noise between them. 

 

“Why do I feel like he  _ didn’t _ have somewhere else to be,” Jeongguk mumbles under his breath, deciding to busy himself with making a lettuce wrap that’s way too big to eat in one bite. He can do this. Act like a normal human being for however much longer it takes for him and Taehyung to finish their food. 

 

Taehyung’s reply is almost instantaneous. “Nah, he probably did have to go somewhere, that happens sometimes. He can be pretty forgetful with the little things.” He piles meat and kimchi into a lettuce wrap of his own. It's easy for him to switch topics, as if he doesn't want to dwell on the subject of Jimin’s absence anymore. “How long have you known Jimin hyung? Just through dance? Or do you have other classes with him somehow?”

 

This sort of small talk is sort of foreign to Jeongguk. He blinks with his mouth full of wrap, cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk. “Uh, this semester,” he says after he swallows. “We have chem together, and dance.”

 

Right now he wishes that mundane back and forth conversation was something he was better at, but this was stuff that Tao or Seokjin were really better at. Jeongguk knows he’s not the best with words —“socially awkward” Sehun says— which is why he always feels better hunting or dancing. Not sitting across from a cute boy trying not to make an idiot out of himself. 

 

“You’re a really good dancer,” Taehyung points out. “I mean, I’ve known Jimin for awhile and he loves to dance and he’s  _ super _ good at it, but you are too. I’m still learning. You’ve always been dancing, like Jimin?”

 

“Off and on. Jimin hyung’s better than me but dancing’s a good way to blow off steam.”

 

“What else do you like to do?”

 

For some reason, Jeongguk ends up talking almost the entire rest of the time they’re in the restaurant. He tells Taehyung that he really hates college, but that he has to finish if he wanted to be involved in his family’s business —which wasn’t a lie, and Taehyung didn’t ask what kind of business. They discover they share a love for video games and watching anime, something that Jeongguk had been loathe to admit to anyone else. Particularly since the last time he’d binge watched One Piece, Sehun had made fun of him for being a weeb. 

 

But Taehyung is . . . frighteningly easy to talk to. As long as Jeongguk doesn’t make direct eye contact because then it feels like his tongue is too thick in his mouth, like his chest can’t expand enough to take in a proper breath. On the other hand, Taehyung’s eyes are focused on Jeongguk, on every word that comes out of his mouth, and that sort of intensity and attention to detail is also why Jeongguk can't look him in the eye. 

 

They finish eating until they've stuffed themselves and the sun hangs low in the sky, close to setting. It's about time they leave and head their separate ways. Neither of them has to be home by a specific time, given that it's a Friday night, but Jeongguk didn't tell the hyungs where he was going to be tonight and he's sure they're trying to contact him and ask about his whereabouts.

 

Taehyung pays using Jimin's card per Jimin’s instructions and sneaks in a last bite of rice before sliding out of his seat. He stretches, arms above his head, and Jeongguk can't help it —really, he can't— as he admires Taehyung's lithe, athletic frame, even for the briefest of moments. He looks just like a model. 

 

“Do you need a ride home, Jeongguk-ah?”

 

It takes Jeongguk a moment to stand himself, leaving his napkin folded up on the table. “Oh, I—“ The house is several blocks from here. Not unreachable by foot, but it definitely would take awhile to get there. “I’m sure you want to get home. It’s not that far for me to walk.”

 

“It's getting dark out, I'd be more than happy to drive you. Jimin would kick my ass if otherwise.” Taehyung is already digging into his pocket for his keys, twirling them around his fingers. “C’mon. I don't have anything at home. Besides, I like the night more anyways. Plenty to do later.” 

 

Taehyung is one of those people that seems like he won’t take no for an answer, so all Jeongguk can do is follow him outside the restaurant after they wave goodbye to their waitress. And maybe he stares at little too hard at the back of her hand, hoping to see if the scales reappear. They don’t. 

 

Taehyung drives a Jeep, similar to the one Yoongi drives, which seems rather fitting for Taehyung’s personality: bold, adventurous, unique. There’s a chill in the air and Taehyung turns the heat on immediately, pointing the fans in Jeongguk’s direction. As winter approaches, nights become colder and colder. Which makes hunting a bummer. 

 

“Lead the way,” Taehyung hums, turning on the radio to a low volume. 

 

Aside from telling Taehyung when and where to turn, Jeongguk keeps quiet, knee jiggling up and down up against the passenger side door. Being in an enclosed space like this just makes him anxious all over again. Even though the car ride feels like it takes forever, it’s not even fifteen minutes before the Jeep turns onto the final block.

 

“You can let me out here,” Jeongguk murmurs, unbuckling his seatbelt to punctuate the statement.

 

Taehyung glances over and slowly pulls the car to the curb of the block. “Not gonna show me your house, Jeongguk-ah?” he jokes, throwing the car into park. A wave of near panic rushes through Jeongguk until Taehyung just snickers and unlocks the car. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Thanks for coming out tonight, with Jimin and I, even thought he bailed on us early. At least you had a good dinner as a broken college student?”

 

With his hand on the door pull, Jeongguk laughs. Hopes it doesn’t come off as nervous as he feels. “Yea. It was good. Jimin hyung takes good care of me. I’m so full I’ll probably just roll down the street.”

 

“I’m glad. He is a good hyung.” Taehyung’s little smile is genuine. “Night, Jeongguk-ah. See you Monday.”

 

The chill from outside makes Jeongguk shiver when he pushes the door open and steps onto the pavement, shouldering his bag. “See you Monday!” he repeats, heart thudding behind his ribs as he shuts the door with a gentle push.

 

He doesn’t move until Taehyung pulls away from the curb. Even then he spends a few moments watching the Jeep’s tail lights fade away before he snaps out of it and sets off down the street. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

The drive back home for Taehyung is longer than expected, given that he started from Jeongguk’s street and not the school parking lot. It’s dark out by the time he reaches home, just faint splotches of pink in the distance in the sky, the stars already peeking through the ink. There’s nobody on the road with him and he has the radio to keep him company.

 

When he pulls into the driveway, the lights in the house are on, and everyone who has a car has it parked. He’s the last one home. 

 

Taehyung locks his car and pushes through the front door of the house, knowing it’s unlocked because they’ve been expecting him to come home, the last of the pack to turn in for the night. He makes sure to lock it behind him. 

 

There’s activity in the living room and dining room, most likely because dinner is still in the process. The scent of apples and cinnamon is what hits his nose first as he steps into the foyer. Minseok must have baked an apple pie, something not uncommon as winter draws close. Leftovers sit on the kitchen countertops and if Taehyung hadn’t gorged himself earlier, he’d be on those leftovers in a heartbeat. Instead, he cuts himself a slice of apple pie, and digs around in the freezer for their ice cream. When he’s all set, he enters the dining room. 

 

The dining room and living room are somewhat connected and the members greet their alpha when he appears. Minseok and Chanyeol are cleaning up the table, handing things over to Baekhyun so he can store the food away in the fridge for later. They’re all stealing glances at him expectantly, and Taehyung continues to eat his pie as he peeks into the living room.

 

His eyes squint when he spots Jimin perched on their lounge, glass of wine in his hand. He’s sprawled out, resting his head on Yoongi’s shoulder, but he blinks and sits up when Taehyung clacks his fork against his plate unnecessarily loud. 

 

“So Taehyungie,” Jimin drawls, swirling what remains of his wine around in the glass, “how was the rest of your date?”

 

Even Baekhyun very visibly straightens. “It’s the human boy isn’t it? What’s his name? Jaekook?”

 

Taehyung’s nose twitches and he jabs a finger in Jimin’s direction. “It  _ wasn’t  _ a date,” he snaps, lips pursing for a moment. “You did it on purpose, I know you did!” His eyes narrow to Baekhyun. “And his name’s Jeongguk, Baek. Not Jaekook.” 

 

Instead of replying, Jimin smiles around the rim of his glass as he tips it back to swallow another mouthful. Next to him, Yoongi looks over. “Is  _ that _ why you made me come get you from that restaurant? So you could play matchmaker?”

 

Minseok throws Jimin a look that would terrify any lesser being. But when Jimin just smiles back innocently, he sighs and shakes his head.

 

“Sorry for getting your boyfriend’s name wrong,” Baekhyun mumbles before ducking away into the kitchen just as Taehyung yells back, “He’s  _ not  _ my  _ boyfriend!” _

 

“But he  _ could _ be,” Jimin supplies helpfully. There’s a twinkle in his eye that Taehyung learned a long time ago meant nothing good. “I think he likes you. He was so nervous.”

 

Taehyung lowers his head and heaves a sigh, pinching his brow. “Hyung, I’ve known him for, like, a week. Maybe he’s just naturally like that.” He drops his hand from his face. “He’s probably just scared of me. I doubt he would like me when we barely know each other.”

 

Luhan chips in with little help. “Minseok and I were like that too, you know the story. Had class together and I liked him the first day. There was a connection. So much in fact, that—”

 

It’s at this point in time where Minseok cuts in, as if he already knows where Luhan is going with this. He fixes Luhan with the same stare he gave to Jimin not even a minute ago. “Lu, don’t.”

 

“—we had sex on the first date. And then we hit it off instantly. Give it one more date, you’ll see.”

 

_ “Luhan.” _

 

Yoongi fights to hold back his snickering behind his hand and Jimin nearly snorts into his empty wine glass. Taehyung searches the room for help, but everyone’s useless.  _ God, everyone’s useless. _

 

“That is  _ not  _ what my goal is, hyung.”

 

“Well, if there wasn’t  _ some  _ sort of attraction, then why are you home almost four hours later?” Jimin asks, sugary sweet as he rearranges himself on the lounge so that he can throw his legs over Yoongi’s lap.

 

Taehyung opens his mouth, struggling to find the words. His brows pinch and he tries again, making himself look like a fool. “We just. . . we talked. That’s all. I don’t know what attraction you’re talking about.”

 

Even Yoongi raises an eyebrow at that. “A few days ago you were practically salivating over that kid.”

 

“ _ Was not.” _

 

Jimin giggles. It’s high pitched and a little breathy, just like he always sounds when he’s drank enough to be tipsy. “You  _ were _ ,” he shoots back. “Even at dance today! I saw you staring in the mirror when you thought no one was looking. Why do you think I had us practice that body roll part of the choreo so many times?”

 

The realization strikes Taehyung and his mouth falls open, expression a mixture of surprise and disbelief. “That’s  _ so _ not fair, hyung!” he argues back, fumbling with his words before he snatches up his plate of half eaten pie. “All of you, mean and useless, ganging up on your alpha. I’m going to my room, and I do  _ not _ have a crush on Jeongguk!”

 

He jams a piece of pie in his mouth before stalking away, the rest of the pack trying not to giggle as the young alpha storms off into his room. There’s the sound of his door shutting before the pack relaxes, gathering into the living room or going separate ways to do their work. Minseok, brandishing a used bottle of wine, plops down on the couch on the other side of Yoongi and pours himself a glass. Jimin, wordlessly, reaches out with his glass, and Minseok fills it with more before setting the glass down on the table.

 

“You’re ruthless, Jiminnie,” Minseok mumbles between sips, crossing his legs and pressing them to his chest. 

 

“Oh, he needs it,” Jimin waves his hand dismissively in the air. “A little hazing and teasing never hurt anyone.”

 

Baekhyun breezes back into the living room and makes himself at home on one of the neighboring couches. “Our little Taehyungie  _ really _ needs to get laid.”

 

“I’ll say,” Minseok mumbles, to which Jimin concurs, their agreement confirmed through a simultaneous sip of wine. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Once everyone is home for the night, Seokjin starts turning down the house. The front door gets locked and deadbolted, all but a few lights switched off. Up the stairs the soft muffle of Sehun and Tao’s voices tells him that they’re still awake, The hum of the shower tells him that Jeongguk hasn’t gone to bed yet either.

 

One person that he hasn’t seen all day is Namjoon. He’s holed himself up downstairs for a better part of the evening, which isn’t unusual. But the clock over top of the stove blinks 10:28pm and Seokjin is ready for bed.

 

Flicking off more lights as he goes, Seokjin pads over to the basement door, gently nudging it open with his hip. Moving mostly from muscle memory, he descends the stairs, ducking right at the end so that his head doesn’t brush the low hanging beam at the base of the staircase. There’s barely any light down here. Just a soft glow from a small lamp on the corner of Namjoon’s desk.

 

“Joon,” he calls out across the space, “all the boys are home. Let’s go to bed. Whatever you’re working on can wait until tomorrow.”

 

He doesn’t receive an immediate answer. With a huff, Seokjin hops off the last set of stairs and pads over to Namjoon’s makeshift office area, holding his arms together over his chest. It’s colder down here than upstairs. They should really work on installing better heating down here this year.

 

Seokjin approaches the desk, and his appearance jostles Namjoon from whatever he’s looking at. He sits up, glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, hair mussed from his hands running through it. There’s a near empty cold cup of coffee on the edge of his desk. 

 

“Did you hear me, Joonie? The boys are home, let’s go to bed.” Seokjin reaches the edge of the desk and Namjoon rubs his face with his hands.

 

“Shit, sorry, what time is it?” 

 

Namjoon taps the screen of his phone. 10:30 now. 

 

“I wasn’t paying attention to the time,” Namjoon mumbles, hands coming down on the desk to shuffle the contents around. “But this was important. I just needed to confirm it before conversing with you.”

 

“Oh?” Seokjin steps so that he can stand just behind and off to the side of where Namjoon is still almost hunched over his desk. One hand rests lightly just on the back of Namjoon’s neck, Thumb pressing into the tight muscles of his upper back. “What is it?”

 

There’s the slightest purse to Namjoon’s lips as he draws out what appears to be a set of photographs. All photographs are marked with the time they were taken in the rear corner. He lays them out in chronological order.

 

“We’ve been doing surveillance in the area, ever since Hoseok told us about the pack. Well, I think what you and I talked about the other night might actually be true. He’s here. In Seoul.”

 

Seokjin is very, very still as he looks down at the photos. They’re good quality, but shot from a far. Two people fill the frames: one an unfamiliar male with wavy blonde hair, full cheeks, and a pouted mouth; but the other. . . Seokjin would know him anywhere.

 

“Min Yoongi,” he breathes out the name like a sigh. “Do you think this is a bad sign?”

 

“I don’t know,” Namjoon murmurs, and there is honesty in his voice. But there’s also uncertainty. “He’s been off the radar for awhile, years at least, but he’s definitely in a pack. That other one. . . I think he’s his mate. Maybe.” He taps on another photo. “I wouldn’t think of him to be one for commitment.”

 

The other photo is of Yoongi and the other male kissing, though the image is slightly blurry compared to the rest. Seokjin cranes his head to look at it.

 

The last time they’d seen Yoongi, he’d been just a scrawny teenager. They all were. Now it looks like he’s filled out, more ink tattooed into his skin. “A mate?” he hums, presses his lips together into a straight line for several seconds. “You think this is another wolf with him?”

 

“It’s either a wolf or a human, but given how long it’s been since he left Daegu, anything is possible. But what leads me to believe he’s also a wolf is this other male they were with.”

 

Namjoon reaches underneath a pile of old photos to draw out recent ones, this time with three males, not two. There’s Yoongi, the blonde, and another, tall, lithe male with bouncy brown hair, leaning against the door of a Jeep.

 

“I know we can’t say for sure from these photos that they’re wolves, but think about it: would  _ Min Yoongi, _ of all people, make friends with humans? After everything in Daegu? He hates humans more than he did in Daegu. It wouldn’t fit his profile. But then again, mating someone doesn’t seem to fit his profile, either.”

 

“They look so young,” Seokjin muses, leaning forward to push the tips of his fingers against the photograph with all three of them. “But they haven’t been violent, right? All you’ve found are signs of pack activity?”

 

“As far as we know, they haven’t been violent. According to our data, it’s the lone wolves who stir up trouble in Seoul, and it’s uncommon for full on packs to become violent. Sure, there are college and high school packs and gang packs, but they get shut down quickly because of hunters or others, like the vampires or local police. Yoongi seems to be laying low. But his mate and the other one must go to the same college as Jeongguk, because this is where I took the photo.”

 

Namjoon leans back in his chair, looking up at Seokjin. “Which is why I’m thinking of calling a meeting tomorrow, see if Jeongguk or the other kids have seen them. I just want to know who they are and how Min Yoongi is related to them. Is he their alpha? Is his lover a wolf? All I want is answers. I don’t want to provoke, not at this point in time.”

 

“The last thing we want to do is start a turf war,” Seokjin agrees, “We’re already on thin ice with the vampires now. And I don’t care  _ what _ Sunmi says, all that shit was way out of line. I don’t want another repeat of what happened in Daegu, Joon—”

 

“I know,” Namjoon responds quickly and Seokjin’s lips press together. They know that what happened in Daegu is part of the reason why Min Yoongi is back, and why they both carry scars from their last encounter with the lone wolf. Things could get out of hand very fast if they make the wrong move. 

 

“Forget about Sunmi and what happened. We have more important things to focus on, yeah?”

 

Seokjin sighs, suddenly feeling even more tired than he was when he decided to come down here. “Let’s just. . . let’s go to bed. Call the meeting tomorrow. But do you think. . . do you think we should tell Jiyoung? If Yoongi’s here, then maybe they should know.”

 

“No, that might make things worse. You know he had a part in our humiliation for not killing Yoongi, and he and the other hunters would storm into Seoul and take over our positions. I’m sure he still has the inkling that we’re incompetent, just like the others. It’s best to leave this between us and if we have to, then perhaps we can tell them later on. But not now. Calling them in would lead to bloodshed and a turf war.”

 

There’s nothing more Seokjin can say to that. Instead of arguing the point, he turns, presses his lips to Namjoon’s temple. “Alright, Joon. Let’s go to bed. We’ll figure it out in the morning.”

 

Namjoon sighs, turning off the lamp light and reaching for his glasses. He sets them on the edge of the desk and stands up, rubbing at his face once more. “I’m sorry I didn’t come up at all to see you today,” he mumbles, following Seokjin out of the basement and up the stairs. “You know how I am when I’m working on something big. If you hadn’t come down I’d be here until I fell asleep.”

 

“At least I’ll have you the whole night,” Seokjin closes the door behind them. The rest of the house has gone quiet. Even the light upstairs is out. “Looks like the boys are all in bed,  _ finally. _ ”

 

“I’m sure they’re just pretending,” Namjoon jokes as they walk upstairs together. “You seem excited that they’re asleep.”

 

“As soon as Sehun and Tao got home, they wouldn’t stop bickering with one another. And Jeongguk was out late. Wouldn’t answer his phone all afternoon. You know I don’t like to pry but he didn’t even offer up where’d he’d been.”

 

“When do they ever  _ not  _ bicker?” They shut the door to their bedroom and Namjoon changes into more comfortable clothes. Seokjin goes to sit on the edge of their bed, having already completed his nightly routine. “And I’m sure Jeongguk was out with friends, I wouldn’t worry about it. I  _ think _ he has friends at school. . . I don’t know. You know he never wants to talk about his life or his day at school, so maybe he stayed late at practice or went out someplace to eat. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

 

“I know. . . And I don’t want to  _ mother _ him. He looked happy. I guess I shouldn’t worry.”

 

“You mother him all the time, babe,” Namjoon laughs, shutting off their overhead light, only the soft glow of their bedside lamp illuminating the bedroom. He joins Seokjin on the bed. “If he’s happy, I wouldn’t question it.”

 

Seokjin’s already under the covers and rolls onto his side to face Namjoon. “I hate when you’re right,” he sniffs, sneaking an arm around the taper of Namjoon’s waist. “Lights off. I’m tired.”

 

Namjoon reaches over to shut the lamp off before rolling back over. He throws an arm around Seokjin’s waist as well, leaning forward to press their lips together for a moment. “Just go to sleep, I won’t worry you anymore. We’ll talk in the morning, okay?”

 

With a contented sigh, Seokjin tucks himself under Namjoon’s chin, curling and hooking their legs together. “Okay,” he hums against Namjoon’s skin. “Love you.”

 

Namjoon smiles and runs a hand through Seokjin’s hair. “Love you too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is Jeongguk starting to get the Feels? Probably. Is that bad? Probably. You'll have to wait and see >:)
> 
> Again, sorry this is late, but we hope you enjoyed! Ch 5 should be up later this week. As always, follow our [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas) to stay up to date with what we're working on and learn about updates and the like! Inspo thread is [here](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas/status/928063880554827776) if you want to take a look. :)
> 
> Please comment and leave kudos and share with your friends if you enjoy! We'll try to be more consistent with updates... thanks again for all the love so far! It gets better from here! <3


	5. V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When he comes across a picture of Jimin and Yoongi and someone else, someone he had just hung out with for hours last night, he can’t breathe. His hands are shaking. He feels sick to his stomach and he can barely flip through the rest, catches only a glimpse of Taehyung and Jimin’s close ups before he caves inside.
> 
> Jeongguk chokes on a sob.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh  
> hi
> 
> we have no excuses for not updating other than we're just lazy and forgot about this fic so yell at us all you want :((((
> 
> which is wHY you're getting a double update! Enjoy chapters 5 and 6!

Jeongguk usually spends Saturdays training. He almost always rises with the sun, but today when he rolls over in bed at stares at the clock on his bedside table, it’s almost noon. Outside his room, the house is awake. There’s noise coming from the kitchen and a murmur of voices that means they must have guests again. What’s really surprising is that no one’s tried to wake him yet.

 

With a quiet yawn, he stretches his arms out overheard, letting his thoughts wander for a bit longer. He keeps coming back to having food with Taehyung. How the whole thing had made his stomach fluttery and his palms sweat. But also it’d been a long time since he’d been able to talk to someone like that— someone that wasn’t a hunter or a supernatural creature. For a couple of hours, he’d forgotten all about being a hunter, forgotten about how not even two days before he’d been held captive in a vampire coven. 

 

It was silly to even entertain the idea of pursuing anything else with Taehyung. But he did. . . he did like him. How could he not? Taehyung was eye-catching, confident, charismatic: all things Jeongguk  _ isn’t _ . 

 

While he’s drowning in his thoughts about last night, a knock on the door startles him out of his trance. He doesn’t have the time to respond before it’s pushed open, and surprisingly, it’s Luna who peeks into his bedroom. Jeongguk makes a feeble attempt at hiding his bare chest with his blankets.

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to burst in,” Luna apologizes, propping open the door just a bit more. 

 

“Ah, no, noona, it’s okay,” he manages, pulling his knees up to his chest under the blankets. “I didn’t know you’d be here. I’d be up and dressed.”

 

“Seokjin wanted me to wake you up, it’s past noon. He knows that you’re probably tired, and it’s the weekend, but Namjoon’s called all of us in and he’s having a meeting downstairs when everyone is here.”

 

A meeting, especially one that calls all of their group members together, is definitely a big deal. Jeongguk’s eyes widen. “Did he say why?”

 

“I think it has something to with the wolf pack that we’ve been tracking. I don’t know much else, sorry, Kookie. I’ll leave you to get dressed.” Luna backs up, but her head ducks in again. “Oh, and Seokjin left some breakfast for you downstairs in the fridge. Eat that and then come downstairs. Don’t rush.”

 

With that, Luna gently shuts his bedroom door, leaving Jeongguk alone in his room. That’s all the motivation he needs to finally get up. Anticipation and a little bit of nerves course under his skin as he yanks on clothes. A quick check in the mirror behind his door reveals that his hair dried into a fluffy mess that can’t really be helped. So to save time he jams a beanie on his head and pulls it over his ears, takes the steps downstairs two at a time.

 

Everyone must already be in the basement because Jeongguk can hear muffled chattering coming from the door that’s slightly ajar. As excited as he is for this meeting, breakfast first. Inside the fridge, Seokjin’s left him some fruit that’s neatly cut up and arranged on a small plate. There’s also some pancakes but he doesn’t want to waste time re-heating them.

 

With the plate in one hand, he takes to the basement stairs. It’s strange to see the basement so full. Yezi and Luna are here, standing off to the side of the main table. Kris and Amber are also here. Kris makes an intimidating figure, the top of his head nearly brushing the low hanging ceiling, but Amber is brighter and bubblier, off-setting him perfectly. Sehun and Tao are sitting on the couch so Jeongguk joins them, skirting around Kyungsoo and Junmyeon on his way over.

 

Namjoon stands at the side of the table, which is covered with manila folders, labeled and arranged in some sort of order. Seokjin stands close to him and he smiles briefly at Jeongguk in greeting. 

 

“Damn, was hoping you’d be late,” Sehun murmurs to Jeongguk, elbowing him hard enough for his plate of cold pancakes and fruit to wobble in his hand. “Then we could have laughed at you.”

 

Tao frowns and nudges Sehun in the ribs. “Stop it. You’re not 5.”

 

“But he acts like it,” Jeongguk mumbles between a mouthful of strawberries, ignoring Sehun’s petulant glare and his huff. The last one downstairs is Victoria, but she just returned home not long ago from a trip to China and had to settle in before coming here. She’s been gone for a couple weeks now, and everyone greets her as she enters the room and sits down in a chair next to Krystal. 

 

There’s more mumbling to be heard before Namjoon clears his throat, to which everyone falls silent. Their eyes all fall on Namjoon. 

 

“Sorry for the short notice meeting. Seokjin and I finalized the decision to have one just this morning, so bear with us, because we need your attention and focus. This shouldn’t take long.”

 

He places his fingers on the set of manila folders. “As most of you know, there has been recent activity of a new pack in Seoul. So far, we’ve only seen footprints, other small signs of wolf activity, and not much else. I know, that isn’t a lot to go off of, but that just means this pack is attempting to lay low somewhere in the city. They haven’t caused any trouble as of yet. The pack is probably a decent size, not too large and not too small, with just the right numbers to stay out of sight and still live their lives in Seoul. Some of you have been told to keep an eye out for any wolf behaviour or signs, and while we haven’t caught much, I recently discovered something —or,  _ someone _ — who might have just confirmed all that we need to know.”

 

Seokjin reaches forward and hauls the manila folders into his arms, stepping away from Namjoon and handing out the folders one by one to the hunters. Nobody opens it, not until they’re told. As Seokjin hands them out, Namjoon speaks. 

 

“These are your individual files that Seokjin and I have made. Inside, mostly pictures. The most latest pictures were taken this week. Go ahead and open the folders, and I’ll tell you about our main suspect, who some of you may have already heard of.”

 

Jeongguk wipes his fingertips on his jeans to rid them of any lingering fruit juices before taking a folder. The plate of his half finished breakfast sits perched on the top of his thighs. Off to his right, Tao already has his folder open. There are photographs inside, so Jeongguk is careful not to let them fall when he uses his thumbs to pry his own folder open. 

 

The first set of photographs are all older, grainier. The same dark haired boy stares in all of them. He looks painfully thin, dark circles hard around his slanted eyes. One of the pictures is a close up of his face, and his lips are curled back in a snarl, the tips of his eye teeth elongated. 

 

The rest of the room breaks out into a low murmur as everyone else continues to open their own envelopes and flip through them. Jeongguk trails the pad of his index finger down the glossy paper of the mug shot, something hot and angry curling in his stomach. 

 

“The pictures you see are from Daegu a few years back. This was the time Seokjin and I lived down there for awhile, training there before moving to Seoul. You all know that Daegu is rampant with packs.” Namjoon has a file of his own, which he opens. “There is his university graduation photo in there as well, taken not even two years ago. The more recent photos are from this week.”

 

Jeongguk’s fingers are starting to curl and become unsteady as he flips the photos, eyes darting to every detail, to every feature on the man’s face. It’s Tao who speaks up next to him with curiosity in his voice. He, Sehun, and Jeongguk are the only ones who are unfamiliar with the case.

 

“Who is he?”

 

From on the far side of the wall, Kris scoffs. “Who is he?” The Chinese male shakes his head. “A ghost, for all we knew.”

 

Namjoon looks up from his folder, Seokjin’s eyes flitting over to Kris before refocusing on the images. Even his lips are set in a fine line.

 

“His name is Min Yoongi. Alpha loner turned pack member with a mate to his name.”

 

Jeongguk’s head snaps up so fast that several bones in his neck crack. “Yoongi?” he whispers, mostly to himself. His hands shake as he sifts through the rest of the pictures, pausing momentarily on the university graduation photo before the most recent set comes into view. 

 

If he had to pick something that explained how it feels to see Jimin’s smiling face in the next several pictures, it’s probably a toss up between being punched in the gut or having the wind knocked out of his lungs. It doesn’t matter how many times he blinks, or how hard he grips the folder, the images don’t change. Without a doubt, that’s Park Jimin and his  _ werewolf  _ boyfriend, Min Yoongi. 

 

But the images don’t stop there. 

 

When he comes across a picture of Jimin and Yoongi and someone else, someone he had just hung out with for hours last night, he can’t breathe. His hands are shaking. He feels sick to his stomach and he can barely flip through the rest, catches only a glimpse of Taehyung and Jimin’s close ups before he caves inside.

 

Jeongguk chokes on a sob. 

 

“His mate, Park Jimin, medical student. We presume that he, too, is a wolf, turned by Yoongi. Before he met Yoongi, he was human. His parents are human, friends are human. . . but he  _ is  _ a member of the pack. And next. . .”

 

_ No, god no, no, don’t.  _

 

“Kim Taehyung. Alpha wolf. We don’t know much about him, just that he knows Jimin and Yoongi somehow, most likely through school. Seokjin and I think that he’s the pack alpha. It’s. . . unusual, for someone so young to be a pack alpha, but not impossible. We found records of his father in our database and his father was the leader of his pack. Only makes sense that Taehyung follows his father’s legacy.” Namjoon sighs and places both hands on the desk. “And so far, that’s the information we have on Park Jimin and Kim Taehyung.”

 

He should have known. A part of him wants to ask if Namjoon could  be wrong, if maybe his source of information was bad. But then he thinks of the healed white scarring on the side of Jimin’s neck, a  _ bite mark _ ; how affectionate Jimin and Taehyung were with one another, pack scent marking; and even how he’d  _ seen _ Yoongi burying his nose and mouth into the hollow of Jimin’s throat—

 

“If Min Yoongi is here in Seoul,” Yezi’s voice cuts through the murmuring, “then we need to tell Jiyong. Him and the rest of the Daegu hunters deserve to know. He has  _ crimes  _ to answer for.”

 

“ _ No _ . They’re only going to make the situation worse, Yezi. You weren’t in Daegu to know what happened.” Namjoon’s voice is stern and sharp. “Jiyong humiliated us and if he finds out Min Yoongi is back, he’ll deem us incompetent and chase us out of our own city so he and the others can take over and finish what we didn’t. Jiyong will create a turf war, an all out battle that we frankly don’t need. The only hunters who will know are us and nobody else. Do I make myself clear?”

 

Jeongguk swallows as everyone else murmurs in agreement. “I—” he begins but his voice sort of cracks. “I know the others. Jimin and Taehyung. We— we have dance together.”

 

The room falls silent in less than a second. One by one, he can feel the eyes on him, including Namjoon’s, who fixes him with the most critical gaze out of everyone. “You know them, Jeongguk?” he asks, for clarification. It’s clear that he’s trying to wrap his brain around the revelation. “How well do you know them?”

 

“I’ve, uh, known Jimin for longer. He’s pre-med so we have chemistry together.” The words fall out of his mouth, and he can’t make eye contact with anyone even though he can feel how Sehun and Tao have twisted around to look at him. “Taehyung I’ve only just recently met. We all. . . had dinner last night.”

 

Seokjin swallows, shutting his eyes and exhaling in some sort of realization. Namjoon glances over at him. Jeongguk doesn’t understand what’s going on between them, but Namjoon’s voice catches his attention.

 

“And you have dance with them?”

 

Jeongguk’s throat feels like it’s going to close up. “Yea. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I, uh, I also saw Yoongi once. Earlier in the week. He was picking up Jimin and Tae after practice.”

 

“Have you seen anything else? Something that. . . confirms they’re in a pack?”

 

Namjoon has this way of making people feel very, very small and right now he’s doing a damn good job at it. “No?” Jeongguk wracks his brain, calling up every time they’d all been together to see if there was anything he had missed. “But I do think. . . they all might live together? I’m not sure.”

 

Kris is the one who speaks up next. “Namjoon, we could use this to our advantage. Think about it. If he knows them, is getting  _ close  _ to them, we could have the upper hand here. Jeongguk would be the one keeping an eye on the pack to make sure they’re not a threat, that  _ Min Yoongi _ isn’t a threat.”

 

“Isn’t Jeongguk a little too young to be taking on a huge mission like that?” Amber questions, folding her arms over her chest. “It could be too dangerous, or he could give himself away and even worse, get involved further with the wolves. Even so. . . what if the wolves find out first?”

 

This could be Jeongguk’s chance to really prove himself, a way to redeem the fuck up from that banshee hunt only a few days before. “I won’t get involved!” he protests. “Especially not with  _ werewolves.” _

 

“Absolutely not,” Seokjin sounds exasperated, looking to Namjoon for reassurance. “Joon, you’re not seriously thinking about letting Jeongguk shoulder all that responsibility—”

 

“It. . . it  _ could _ work. He’s friends with Jimin, and he’s getting closer to the Kim kid. He’s obviously gotten close to them somehow without anyone’s knowledge and if we didn’t intervene, he might just have kept on going. It’s not like he would be doing this out of the blue; he’s had dinner with them already. All Jeongguk would have to do is act normal, be his usual self, and that’s all. Jin, think about it. This could help us.”

 

Yezi scoffs and Luna elbows her in the side. “These boys couldn’t even dispel a banshee without fucking up. What makes you think that we could trust him with something this delicate?”

 

Jeongguk sets his jaw and squares his shoulders. “I can do it. I can probably figure out where their pack house is. Find out how many of them there are and who they all are. I won’t fuck it up.”

 

“I don’t want this going too far, Jeongguk,” Namjoon warns. “I don’t think you understand the possible dangers of this. I want to make sure you really know what you’re getting yourself into-—”

 

“I  _ know _ what I’m getting into. Like you said, I would have probably found out anyway, but now  _ I _ have the advantage.  _ I _ know what they are, but they don’t know who I really am.”

 

It’s quiet for a moment, no one saying a word on the situation. Seokjin is less than happy, and Namjoon’s lips are pursed, but then he nods and promptly shuts the folder on his desk. “It’s settled then. You know what you have to do.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Yoong think that Jimin looks prettiest like this. He’s sprawled across the mussed up sheets of their bed, a comforter tucked up around his naked waist, the glow of flames from their fireplace making his skin gleam gold in the dim light. The marks around his neck and collarbones are already darkening, but those love bites are nothing compared to the white, raised skin of his mating mark. 

 

It should get easier over time, but Yoong still feels his heart catch in his throat when Jimin makes a soft noise, shifting and catching his gaze with heavy-lidded, sleepy eyes.

 

“You’re staring,” he accuses, but his eyes crinkle up at the corners when he says it.

 

“How can I not,” Yoongi presses closer, curling his chest against Jimin’s back, making sure there’s as little space between their bodies as he can possibly manage. “Stop being so damn gorgeous.”

 

It’s something left over from when their kind were more feral that makes Yoongi want to rub himself over every inch of his mate until he’s so covered in his scent that no one would be able to tell the difference between them. He kisses the gentle curve of Jimin’s shoulder, trailing upwards until he can mouth over the scar that bears the indentations of each and every one of his own teeth.

 

Jimin shifts, letting out a pleased sigh. “Don’t blame me for it,” he mumbles, twisting his head just enough for his own lips to press against the sharp angle of Yoongi’s jaw. 

 

A rumble that sounds something like a low growl reverberates in Yoongi’s chest. “Don’t sass me, sunshine,” he warns, cheekily sinking his teeth into the junction where Jimin’s neck meets his shoulder. 

 

Jimin giggles, squirming in Yoongi’s hold. Yoongi laughs too, continuing to smatter Jimin’s neck and chest with kisses and playful nips. Jimin has an arm around Yoongi’s shoulders and tugs on his dark hair playfully as Yoongi buries his face into the crook of Jimin’s neck, scenting him. 

 

“You’re being so possessive tonight, Yoongi,” the blonde muses, twirling raven black strands of hair around his fingers, trailing his other hand down Yoongi’s tattooed arm with a hum. 

 

A puff of laughter makes Jimin’s skin warm. “Me?” The word’s muffled in the side of Jimin’s throat. 

 

“Yeah, you. Look at all these marks you left.”

 

“I think they look nice,” Yoongi huffs, grumbling under his breath. “. . . was it too much?”

 

Jimin blinks, before he shakes his head and smiles. “They do look nice, Yoongi,” he replies. “And I love them. Because it shows that I’m yours. But you’re usually not this possessive out of the blue.” He sits up, propping himself on his elbow so he and Yoongi are eye-level. His voice is softer, fingers trailing back up Yoongi’s arm and finally resting on his cheek. “What’s wrong?”

 

To anyone else, Yoongi would have told them that he was fine, that nothing was wrong, but that’s impossible with Jimin. Even before they were mates, Jimin had always been able to see past Yoongi’s prickly exterior. 

 

“We were followed today,” Yoongi finally says. “When we were out earlier with Taehyung. And I can’t be sure of it, but I’m pretty sure it was a hunter.”

 

A veil of worry drapes across Jimin’s features, thumb caressing a small scar that runs across his mate’s jaw. It’s a reminder of Yoongi’s dark past and his run-ins with the hunters. “Are you sure?” Jimin asks quietly, sitting up more, blankets draping around his waist. “It wasn’t just. . . coincidence?”

 

Yoongi shakes his head. One arm moves to sling around Jimin’s lap so that he can stroke the pad of his thumb over Jimin’s side. “It’s a pretty distinct feeling: being watched. Hadn’t felt it in a long time. Not really since Daegu. . . I’m sorry. I know we came here for a fresh start and I’m ruining that.”

 

“Yoongi. . . no. You’re not ruining anything.” 

 

Jimin shifts closer, cupping Yoongi’s face in his palms. “Whatever happened. . . happened. There’s no changing it. You know that, I know that. Sometimes we just have to live with our mistakes, but we also have to move on from them. You’ve moved on, but the hunters haven’t, and that’s their fault.  _ You  _ haven’t ruined a thing. I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t come to Seoul when you did, and I wouldn’t have been your mate.” He knocks their foreheads together. “I’ll protect you, Yoongi, I promise. You’re doing nothing wrong. I want you to know that.”

 

In spite of himself, Yoongi smiles and nudges his face forward to headbutt Jimin. “Hey, protecting you is  _ my  _ job, sunshine. Don’t worry about me. I’ve dealt with hunters before. Just as long as they keep their distance, I won’t have to remind them that I’m far from a docile wolf.”

 

“I can protect you too, you’re not a lone wolf anymore!” Jimin argues back with a laugh. “You’ve gone soft because of me. Are you  _ sure  _ you’re far from docile?”

 

“ _ My  _ purpose in life is to make sure that you’re safe,” Yoongi kisses the tip of his nose, pressing Jimin back against the pillow. “You’re my everything.”

 

Jimin’s hair fans out all around him, one of his arms curling around Yoongi’s back. “I told you, soft,” he mumbles, grinning wide into Yoongi’s face. “And you’re  _ my  _ everything. Now come here and kiss me, Yoongi.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Jeongguk has the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday to psych himself up to see Jimin and Taehyung again. Well, Sunday he tries not to think too much about it and instead throws himself into hours of training until his body’s black and blue. At first, he’d been upset. Upset at himself for not being able to read the signs. What sort of hunter didn’t realize that one of his closest friends was a werewolf? Upset that out of anyone he could have befriended, that it had to be fucking  _ werewolves _ . 

 

After that, he was just angry. Channeled that anger into sparring, sharp shooting practice, anything he could find to take his mind off of it. He felt sick that he’d sat across from the two of them, shared a meal, that he’d let a werewolf take care of him and bring him coffee when he was tired.

 

And he was going to have to swallow his pride and his prejudices and pretend that nothing had changed.

 

It was his one chance at redemption. If he could pull this off, there was no way that Namjoon wouldn’t think of him as a full fledged hunter. He’d make Yezi eat her words too. The banshee thing was a fluke, a whole series of unlucky choices that he couldn’t take back. But  _ this _ . He wasn’t going to fuck this up.

 

Monday comes too quickly. Even as Jeongguk shoves his feet into his shoes and shrugs on a jacket, his heart’s pounding behind his ribs. It doesn’t go away during his entire walk to campus, all the way up to when he slides into his seat in his chemistry lecture. Jimin’s already there, turns and gives him a sunny smile the way that he always does, but for once Jeongguk just looks down at his notebook and pretends to scribble down notes, gripping the pen so tight that the plastic casing creaks.

 

He’s been so preoccupied thinking about Jimin and Taehyung, that’d he’d  _ completely  _ forgotten that Seulgi is also in this class. Just as luck would have it, she’s decided to sit in the seat next to him.

 

“Why the long face, little Jeonggukkie?” she coos at him low enough that no one else hears. Her legs are crossed delicately at the ankles and today her hair is pulled back in a long braid that’s slung over her shoulder.

 

One of the last things that Jeongguk has patience for today is Kang Seulgi and her bullshit. “Piss off,” he also mumbles under his breath, angling his body away in a clear sign that he doesn’t want to entertain whatever conversation it is that Seulgi wants to have.

 

As per usual, she doesn’t seem to care. Tapping her own pen on the end of her desk and pursing her lips, she shoulders on. “What? Did you and your little wolfie friend have a falling out?”

 

Jeongguk’s head snaps up. “What?”

 

“You think I didn’t know?” she giggles. “Oh. That’s funny. See, we had a bet on how long it would take you to notice-—”

 

“I mean it, Seulgi. Shut the fuck up.”

 

“My, my. Touchy aren’t we? Figured that’s why you look like you’ve sucked on a lemon.”

 

Jeongguk  _ seethes _ . He knows he shouldn’t give Seulgi the satisfaction of seeing him all riled up, but he can feel his face flushing with shame from the fact that all those vampires  _ knew  _ and didn’t say anything about it.

 

Maybe Seulgi makes another comment or two but Jeongguk tunes her out and actually tries to focus on the lesson for once. Jimin tries to meet his gaze several times. It’s only once that Jeongguk makes the mistake of looking in his direction when he does. The concern etched on Jimin’s delicate features kind of makes Jeongguk want to punch him.

 

When class is dismissed, Jeongguk’s the first one out, ignoring Jimin’s call of his name. It’s sort of pointless to escape, since they’re both headed to dance practice anyway. However, Jeongguk’s legs are longer and he doesn’t slow down enough for Jimin to catch up. 

 

What he doesn’t count on, is rounding the final corner to hallway and barrelling face first into Taehyung. 

 

It startles Jeongguk more than Taehyung, and he instinctively lurches back and away from the elder. Taehyung blinks in a stupor and holds his palms up. 

 

“Shit, sorry, Jeongguk-ah,” he apologizes, and Jeongguk hates himself for giving in to the deep timbre of his voice. “You heading off to dance? What’s the rush? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

 

Taehyung looks exactly the same. Except today Jeongguk notices that there’s a little freckle on the very tip of his nose. “I—Yea, I am. Sorry.”

 

His throat’s closing up and Jeongguk has to force himself to take a deep, controlled breath through his nose.

 

Concern pools in Taehyung’s eyes and his lips turn into a slight frown. He leans in closer, and Jeongguk just about chokes on his next breath.

 

“Are you okay? You don’t look so good.”

 

Refusing to let a  _ werewolf _ see him rattled, Jeongguk steels himself and moves to step around Taehyung. “I’m fine. Just. . . other school stuff,” he lies. 

 

Taehyung sidesteps, but he reaches out to lightly grab Jeongguk’s arm. The contact makes Jeongguk freeze immediately. 

 

“Maybe you shouldn’t go to practice then, if you’re not feeling well. Even with schoolwork. Jimin and I don’t want you overworking yourself.”

 

Jimin appears behind both of them. His eyebrows are pinched together like they get when he’s annoyed.  _ Speak of the devil. _

 

“I’m  _ fine,”  _ he insists, jerking his arm out of Taehyung’s grip to reshoulder his backpack. “I just failed my last chem test so I’m a little stressed. It’s not a big deal.” Another lie, but something that Jeongguk figured would explain his erratic behavior. His last grade hadn’t been  _ stellar _ , but it was no secret that he wasn’t very good in that class.

 

Taehyung’s arm falls back down to his side. Jimin steps close to him, that same look of worry in his eyes. “Let’s all just. . . go to dance practice, yeah? Unless, Jeongguk, you’re not feeling well—”

 

“How many times do I have to tell you that I’m just fine?” Realistically, Jeongguk knows that these are just two friends showing that they care, but right now it’s the last thing he wants. “Let’s just get this over with.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

On Tuesday, he feels marginally better. He doesn’t see Jimin or Taehyung and maybe it’s the space that helps. Jimin hasn’t texted him, which isn’t unusual, but something about that sort of stings. 

 

Seokjin helps him to get his head back on straight. It’s one of those late night talks huddled around the kitchen island together where Jeongguk talks a lot at first and Seokjin listens, unbiased. “They’re still your friends,” Seokjin had reminded him. “Nothing has changed for them. But if you don’t think you can do this, no one will think any less of you.”

 

It was a nice sentiment, but all Jeongguk can think about is that if he doesn’t do this, it could take him  _ forever _ to get Namjoon to have any sort of faith in him ever again. 

 

So on Wednesday, Jeongguk swallows all of the ugly emotions still rolling around inside him, smiles at Jimin in class and even waits for him so that they can walk to the humanities building together.

 

Inside, he still hurts, but he’s just going to have to deal with it. 

 

“You look much better, Kook,” Jimin comments once he’s met up with Jeongguk, hands stuffed in his pockets. “Do you feel any better? I know bombing tests can suck, but don’t let it get to you.”

 

“I’m trying not to,” Jeongguk mirrors Jimin and hides his hands in the pockets of the sweats he wore today. “Sorry for being a jerk on Monday. You guys didn’t deserve that.”

 

A very big, ugly part of him says that yes, they did deserve it, but he squashes that voice down. 

 

“It’s okay, just make sure you apologize to Tae too, alright? He was a little more upset about it, just because there’s an irrational part of him thinking he was involved in making you upset. He’s actually pretty delicate,” Jimin laughs at the last part. 

 

‘Delicate’ is the last word that Jeongguk thinks of when he imagines a pack alpha. Little did Taehyung know how much of a part he’s played in Jeongguk’s foul mood from before. Jeongguk’s nose wrinkles up at the thought. He promises Jimin that he’ll talk to Taehyung, then only half listens to the mindless chatter that Jimin uses to fill up the silence for the rest of their walk. 

 

When they arrive at the practice room, Taehyung is already there. It shouldn’t be endearing how he seems to brighten when both of them enter the room. It also isn’t fair how he manages to make sweats look like he just stepped off the runway. He bounds over, and this time, he’s wearing a sporty headband that lifts his bangs and keeps them from falling into his eyes. His eyes shine and his lips manage to quirk into a smile.

 

“You look like you’re feeling better!” He chirps, tipping his head to the side.  _ Fuck, he looks good.  _ “In the mood to dance today?”

 

It’s easier than he thought to return the smile. “I’m always in the mood to dance, hyung.”

 

Taehyung’s smile widens into a grin. He appears to be. . . happy. Happy that Jeongguk’s happy. His stomach betrays him by doing a little flip without his permission. 

 

Jimin interrupts by clearing his throat, stepping between the two with a smile. “You know, Jeongguk. . . I was thinking that maybe if you’re not doing so hot in chem, that, well, maybe Taehyung can help? Taehyung’s really good at chem. He passed with flying colors last year.”

 

There’s a glint to his eyes that Jeongguk can’t quite place, but he and Taehyung are flabbergasted all the same. Taehyung’s eyes shoot from Jimin to Jeongguk and then back to Jimin, mouth opening like a fish as he gapes at their hyung. There also might be the faintest blush that rises to the alpha’s cheeks.

 

“Oh, no, Jimin I—”

 

“Actually,” Jeongguk interrupts, “I could use all the help I could get. If it’s not too much trouble. . .”

 

This is actually better than any sort of idea Jeongguk would have come up with on his own. Studying together would get him in closer, and with the pack’s alpha no less. If he plays his cards right, he might even get invited to the pack’s house. Then he’d really have some good information for Namjoon. 

 

Taehyung swallows, before smiling and nodding his head. “Okay, yeah, I suppose I can help you.”

 

It’s Jimin who butts in, fluttering his lashes at Jeongguk. “How does Friday night sound? You can come over after dance practice, all three of us can grab some food and then head home where you two can study. Does that sound good?”

 

Jeongguk ignores the weird fluttering sensation in the pit of his stomach, chalking it up to excitement that his plan is falling into place and he hasn’t even lifted a proverbial finger. “Friday’s great. Do you guys live far?”

 

“It’s not that far, but we’re technically out of the city, so it is a little bit of a drive. We can drive you home that night, or you’re welcome to sleep over and we can take you home Saturday morning.”

 

Spending the night in a house full of werewolves is something that is  _ not _ on Jeongguk’s to-do list. “Oh, I don’t want to be a bother,” he protests. “If you have a bus line or something that’s close by I can just take that.”

 

“We. . . might have one. I’ll have to double check,” Jimin responds, eyes flitting to Taehyung. But Taehyung just offers a shrug, indicating that he doesn’t know if there’s a bus line or not. Jimin turns back to Jeongguk just as their dance instructor enters the room. “Just let me know tomorrow if you can make it, and I’ll try to let you know if there’s a bus stop nearby. The three of us can talk more about it at practice Friday.”

 

“Will, uh, your boyfriend be okay with me coming over?”

 

“Yoongi? Oh, he’ll be fine. I’ll keep him distracted if I have to.” Jimin’s wink is slightly unsettling and Taehyung almost gags. 

 

“Oh god,” Jeongguk groans, looking to Taehyung. “Are they that bad?”

 

“You should have heard them the other night,” Taehyung whisper-yells to Jeongguk, and for that, Jimin smacks him in the arm.

 

“I’m only kidding, you little shit! I know better than to do anything with a guest. You’re the dirty one.”

 

“ _ Me? _ Oh, I’ll show you dirty—”

 

Jeongguk can’t help but laugh at their bickering, and for a moment, it almost feels like how it was before he opened that manila envelope. 

 

Almost. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our Twitter is [here](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas) if you haven't followed us already!
> 
> And sorry for the angst in this chapter but. . . it had to happen. . . :x


	6. VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Without asking, Taehyung reaches for the pen between Jeongguk’s fingers. Jeongguk curses himself for jerking away from the heat of Taehyung’s touch. His heartbeat pulses loud behind his eardrums, a shock jolting up his spine from how rough the pads of Taehyung’s fingers feel brushing against his skin.

“I’m so excited we’re having your boyfriend over later!”

 

“I think he’s sleeping over too. They’re supposed to be “studying,” but we all know what that means.”

 

Taehyung grumbles and mopes from where he is hunched over the kitchen table, cup of coffee in his hands. The other pack members won’t  _ shut up  _ about Jeongguk coming over later, not even this early in the morning when half of them are getting ready for school. The alpha thumps his head against the table once with a rumble before looking up, pointing fingers at Baekhyun and Chanyeol. 

 

“For the last time, he is  _ not  _ my boyfriend,” Taehyung groans, like he’s at his last straw. Which, he almost is, because  _ nobody  _ is letting him live. Today, he had woken up to a pack of condoms and lube on his nightstand and a little note that said “ _ From your favorite hyung <3”  _ next to it. No doubtedly Jimin, of course, and Taehyung had embarrassingly shoved those things in his drawer. He already has those things and he doesn’t need to be given anything inappropriate because of Jeongguk’s visit. When he confronted Jimin about the little gift, Jimin shrugged and said they might come in handy for whenever Jeongguk comes over next. Taehyung promptly threw his bottle of toothpaste at Jimin.

 

Baekhyun is energetic as usual and won’t catch the hint that he’s pissing Taehyung off. Or, he probably does know, but wants to see how many buttons can be pressed before the alpha snaps. 

 

“Be nice,” Yixing says softly from the other side of the breakfast bar, “If Taehyung says they aren’t boyfriends, then they’re not.”

 

“Doesn’t mean he doesn’t  _ want  _ them to be,” Jimin mumbles into his mouthful of cereal, which earns him a kick in the shin. He whines, glancing to Yoongi for help, but the elder just mumbles, “You deserved it.”

 

“I’ve hardly known him!” Taehyung argues, huffing. “He’s just coming over and I’m going to help teach him chemistry things. This was all Jimin’s idea,  _ not  _ mine!”

 

“Oh come  _ on _ ,” Jimin groans, thoroughly exasperated as he stabs his spoon back into the milk at the bottom of his bowl. “This is your chance! You said that dinner went really well. He probably wanted you to make a move!”

 

Baekhyun waggles his eyebrows at that. “Oooh. We never heard about  _ dinner.” _

 

“That’s because it’s none of your business,” Taehyung mumbles, taking a sip of his coffee. 

 

“Everything in this pack is our business,” Baekhyun sniffs, planting his elbows on the table just off to the side of Taehyung. “We’re pack, you should share things with us. Especially if it’s about someone you’re trying to fu—”

 

“ _ Baekhyun, _ ” comes Yixing’s voice in warning, which causes Baekhyun to promptly shut his mouth with a smile. At least there’s  _ one  _ person on Taehyung’s side. 

 

“I’m not trying to fuck him. He’s cute, I’ll give you that much, but he’s so. . . skittish. Like a bunny.”

 

“Kookie isn’t  _ skittish _ ,” Jimin protests, swiftly cut off by Yoongi’s amused chuckle behind him. 

 

“Sunshine, that kid looks like a scared little woodland creature.” 

 

“That just means our Taehyungie’s going to have a fun chase,” Baekhyun’s back to teasing, even wiggling his butt in the air with his chin balanced in his hands. “The big bad wolf can’t wait to sink his teeth into that poor little bunny.”

 

Taehyung checks his watch, knee bobbing up and down. He suddenly stands up from his chair, pushing his empty coffee mug aside. “Oh, would you look at the time, it’s time to go to school.” He swipes his car keys from the table. “Jimin, if you don’t come with me right now, I’m leaving your ass here at home.”

 

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Jimin huffs, shoving himself back from the breakfast bar to put his bowl in the sink.

 

Yoongi looks them both over with his dark brows pinched together in the center of his forehead. “Let me drive you today. Both of you.”

 

Taehyung glances over as he’s sliding on a jacket. “You sure, hyung? Kind of a waste of a drive, don’t you think?”

 

Jimin presses a quick kiss to Yoongi’s pouted mouth, patting the swell of his cheek at the same time. “Tae and I will just go. No point in you driving all the way out to the city just to have to come back to get us this afternoon. Besides, we’re bringing Jeongguk with us too. We’ll be fine.”

 

“We’ll be back soon, we promise. Go ahead and eat dinner without us, we’ll be stopping on the way. Tell Minseok when he and Luhan wake up, okay?” Taehyung says, stuffing his phone in his pocket and swinging his backpack over his shoulders. “And please, mind your manners when he’s here. Act normal.”

 

Even Yixing laughs at that. “Normal?”

 

Taehyung rolls his eyes. “You know what I mean. C’mon, hyung, let’s get going.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

The only person Jeongguk had told about tonight was Seokjin, and even then, it was only because he’d been caught with an overnight bag slung over his shoulder on his way out the door to school. It was really just in case. It wasn’t like he planned to stay the night or anything. But Jimin had said there wasn’t a bus line that ran close enough and Jeongguk always liked to be prepared. He only packed a spare change of clothes and a toothbrush. . . and also a small silver knife that he tucked into the very bottom of the bag. Just to be safe.

 

Seokjin’s expression had been a little pinched, like he still didn’t approve of the whole thing. But he’d let Jeongguk go with the promise of a check in text when he arrived and to let him know if he was going to be staying overnight.

 

He’s proud to say that he manages to keep his cool throughout dance practice. He keeps his focus trained on perfecting his part of this showcase’s choreography. It’s a section that he dances with Jimin, and the only aggravating part of the entire practice is how Jimin keeps making him repeat one section over and over again: a twisting body roll that ends in a hip thrust.

 

By the time they’re finished, he’s a sweaty, panting mess that simply collapses to the floor instead of following through the cooldown. “You’re trying to kill me,” he accuses Jimin as the elder looms over his prone form. 

 

“No, I’m just trying to make sure you’re doing the move right,” Jimin hums as he places his hands on his hips, crude smile on his lips. “You’ll never do it right if you don’t keep trying~”

 

With a noise like like dying whale, Jeongguk rolls his head to the side, fastening his pleading eyes on Taehyung. “Hyung, help me,” he whines, “come collect your friend.”

 

Taehyung’s been quiet while Jimin and Jeongguk practiced and he observes Jeongguk helplessly. “Nuh uh, you’re sweaty and gross,” he sniffs, but it sounds like he’s distracted, attention focused elsewhere. 

 

This is a mission now, so Jeongguk doesn’t feel miffed that Taehyung seems distracted. Doesn’t care in the slightest. At all. “So are you,” he grumbles, rolling up one vertebrae at a time until he’s sitting with his legs crossed one over the other. 

 

“I'm not the one on this floor,” Taehyung bites back, sticking his tongue out at Jeongguk. He sniffs, and just for a second, Jeongguk thinks he sees the dilation of Taehyung's pupils.  “You should go take a shower.”

 

Jeongguk’s mouth opens, a retort on the tip of his tongue but it dies off. “I. . . should?”

 

None of them usually shower after practice. Which might be a little gross, but no one’s ever said anything about it before. Discreetly, Jeongguk ducks his head to sniff at his left armpit. Does he smell? Is it a werewolf scent thing? 

 

Jimin eyes Taehyung curiously, and he turns his head to hide a smile as Jeongguk sniffs himself. Taehyung swallows before chuckling, shaking his head, causing Jeongguk to look at him with his wide eyes.

 

“It's just a joke. Let's all get redressed and we'll get dinner and head home. No showering necessary.”

 

“I—I knew that,” Jeongguk gets to his feet, feeling the tips of his ears burn. “You’re treating us this time, right?”

 

It’s easier than he’d like to admit, pretending that he doesn’t know who Taehyung and Jimin  _ really _ are. A big part of him wishes he’d never found out. Now he has to lie, to play them both until he gets what he wants. 

 

“Mm, I can, I just got paid last Friday.” 

 

Jimin grins wide. “Ooo, Taehyungie’s paying for once!”

 

“And I’m  _ really _ hungry,” Jeongguk forces a smile to his lips, hoping it looks genuine. “So I hope that paycheck was a good one.”

 

“Ah, you're both brats,” Taehyung mumbles with a cluck of his tongue, shaking his head. “Go get dressed! Shoo! We've got a long night of studying ahead of us.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

For all his talk, Jeongguk actually doesn’t eat very much. This time Taehyung takes them to a small noodle shop — and once again Jeongguk  _ swears _ there’s something other worldly about their waitress. Instead of scales, this time her skin seems oddly pink and almost glittery when she passes through the doorway to the kitchen. 

 

The portions are  _ enormous _ . While Taehyung and Jimin tuck in, chopsticks dipping in to retrieve huge mouthfuls of noodles, Jeongguk barely picks at his. The nerves get the better of him. What if they find him out, shred him into so many little pieces there’s nothing left for Namjoon or Seokjin to find—

 

“Are you not going to eat? You said you were  _ starving,”  _ comes Taehyung’s voice, jerking Jeongguk out of his dark thoughts.

 

Just to spite him, Jeongguk grabs a large chunk of noodles from his bowl with his chopsticks and messily stuffs them into his mouth until his cheeks bulge. Jimin snorts out a laugh.

 

“Brat,” Taehyung mumbles, slurping up his own chunk of noodles. His bowl is practically empty, and he lifts it up to drink the rest of the broth. 

 

The noodles have a wonderful flavor, almost as good as Seokjin’s ramen. Jeongguk would be able to appreciate it more if he wasn’t so nervous about throwing them all up. He manages to get himself halfway through the portion before he tries to take part in conversation. “You never told me where you live. Is it far?”

 

From his educated guess, combined with Namjoon’s surveillance, they probably had their den somewhere outside of Seoul’s city limits. Wolves never seemed to do well living inside any large metropolitan area. 

 

Setting his chopsticks across the bowl, Taehyung runs his tongue across his mouth. “It’s sort of hard to explain where, because we live. . . well, pretty much in the forest. Our house doesn’t actually have an address. I’d say it’s almost half an hour away, so it’s not too far.”

 

Jimin pipes in. “I hope you don’t mind our roommates. We live with a bunch of other guys, just because we all know each other and we have a very nice house. Just thought you should know beforehand.”

 

Ah, the rest of the pack. “Roommates?” he feigns surprise. “How many of them?”

 

“There’s eight of us in total. I think everyone will be home tonight, because everyone works during the day. I’ll introduce you, don’t worry.”

 

At least they aren’t a very large pack,  _ if  _ this is their only den. Even so, knowing that he’s willingly stepping into a house filled with  _ eight  _ werewolves makes his stomach flip unpleasantly. He can only hope it doesn’t show on his face. “That’s cool. I don’t wanna bother anyone though.”

 

“Oh, you won’t bother anyone. For some reason they’re excited to see you, we don’t get a lot of visitors,” Jimin chirps, as Taehyung waves down the waitress for their bill. “They’ll most likely leave you alone when you and Taehyung go to study.”

 

Right. Studying was just going to be him and Taehyung. That was fine. As long as they were in a public area, preferably with a table between them. Jeongguk isn’t sure that his heart could take anything more than that. 

 

With the meal paid for, all three of them slide out of their seats, dutifully tucking the chairs underneath the table before they go. If he tries enough, it’s not hard to imagine that this is just another hang out between the three of them. With his backpack slung over his shoulder, and maybe it’s just his brain overthinking, but he’s hyper aware of  the hard press of the silver knife in the bottom of his bag.

 

He slides into the backseat as Taehyung hops in the driver’s seat and Jimin in the passenger’s seat. He sets his backpack aside. As they’re pulling on to the street, Taehyung burps, and Jimin scoffs and smacks him on the arm. “God, Yoongi’s right, you’re gross.”

 

Taehyung only grins. 

  
  


Jeongguk tries not to be fidgety on the car ride. His eyes glance from the window to his phone screen as he texts Seokjin during the ride. He updates his hyung on where they’re going, what main roads they take, but unfortunately, once they reach the outskirts of Seoul, Jeongguk has a hard time trying to explain where they’re going now because Jeongguk is unfamiliar with the area. Seokjin’s last text tells him not to worry, it’s no big deal, and to try to have fun and be himself. He’s not sure if that text eases his mind or agitates it.

 

The radio plays softly, and Jimin hums along as he taps away on his phone. By now, the sun is beginning to set, and Jeongguk’s eyes flicker to the window. Cars do pass by but they get more and more infrequent as the trees begin to close in on them. A dark forest doesn’t make him nervous; hell, he _ just _ ran through one to try and catch a banshee. He doesn’t actually  _ know  _ what’s making him nervous. And that’s the annoying part.

 

With fading pinks and oranges in the sky bleeding into navy blue, Jeongguk breathes out quietly when Taehyung makes a turn and he can see the glowing lights of a house up ahead. Not many people live out here. On the ride, he’s counted only a handful of houses, mostly small, belonging to farmers, but he has to blink twice and almost press his face against the window to verify what he’s seeing.

 

Their home is a hanok. Except this hanok is  _ large.  _ All of the lights are on, and there are multiple cars in the gravel driveway off to the side. The hanok is no doubt renovated to accommodate their numbers, but Jeongguk has to hand it to them; it’s a beautiful home. Traditional, but situated in a strange location. 

 

_ They really are trying to stay out of trouble. _

 

Taehyung parks his Jeep behind a silver Kia. He’s kind enough to open the door for Jeongguk, offering to take his bags for him. Instead of letting him take them, Jeongguk just throws everything over his left shoulder and hops out of the car. 

 

The air smells fresh up here. Clean. But it’s colder outside of the city and he finds himself shivering within just a few moments. Jimin doesn’t look bothered, and neither does Taehyung. But Jeongguk knows that wolves tend to run hotter than normal humans, so that isn’t really surprising.

 

One of the windows in the front of the house gets brighter as the curtains are pulled back. But just as quick as that happens, the curtains swing back shut and then the front door opens. 

 

“Look who finally decided to come home!”

 

Standing on the steps is a short redhead, probably the same height as Jimin. He’s smiling, and Taehyung seems to shake his head as they approach. 

 

“That’s Baekhyun, ignore him,” Taehyung grumbles, nudging Baekhyun inside as they step into the house and toe off their shoes. “He’s obnoxious.”

 

Baekhyun doesn’t seem perturbed in the least. In fact, he fixes Jeongguk with a dazzling smile that almost looks diabolical. “Oh. Aren’t you  _ cute _ ?” he coos, and Jeongguk flinches back when the redhead reaches out to touch his cheek.

 

“He’s skittish, Baek,” Jimin mumbles with a slight laugh as he pads past the entry hall. Taehyung presses a hand gently to Jeongguk’s back to shuffle him forward, sending a glare to Baekhyun, who is biting his lip with a smile. 

 

The living room is just to the right and Jeongguk swallows when he sees the others —the  _ werewolves—  _ lounging around. He sees everyone except Yoongi, counting five others in total. 

 

Taehyung moves him just a bit closer so everyone can take a look at him and vice versa.

 

From what he can see, there’s one with blonde hair curled up with another with caramel colored hair and stunning brown eyes. They’re under a blanket and a fire is crackling in the fireplace.

 

In a chair reading a book with glasses is someone with black hair and foreign features, squarish face and broad shoulders. He’s already met Baekhyun, who slides up behind the tallest wolf there, with black hair and black eyes. 

 

The blonde he sees first smiles brightly, rubbing his boyfriend’s arm —or,  _ husband,  _ because Jeongguk can see the flash of a gold band around his ring finger. 

 

“We’re glad to have you, Jeongguk. You’re probably a little overwhelmed, so I’ll try to make this as painless as possible.”

 

In order, this wolf introduces everyone. 

 

“I’m Minseok, and this is Luhan. We’re the oldest here, so if anyone tries to give you a hard time, feel free to rat on them. You’ve already met Baekhyun. . . this is Yixing, he’s Chinese, and he’s quiet, but he’s not even close to being a troublemaker. Then that’s Chanyeol, Baekhyun’s boyfriend, and you already know Yoongi. I’m not sure what he’s doing, but he’s here. Everyone, this is Jeongguk.”

 

The thing that strikes him the hardest is just how  _ normal _ they all look, and how much effort Minseok put into their introductions to try and make him feel welcome and comfortable. But being the center of attention still makes his cheeks flare red, barely managing an awkward wave and a tiny “hello” in return.

 

“Alright, alright,” the other wolf under the blanket —Luhan— says, “we’ll let you study. The kitchen’s free, unless you wanted to use Tae’s room instead?”

 

“We’ll go up to my room,” Taehyung replies, clearing his throat. Baekhyun fixes him with a menacing smile, all-knowing, and Luhan smiles and nods. “Uh. . . let’s go, Kook, bring everything with you. We’ll figure out sleeping arrangements later.”

 

Taehyung is all too eager to escape the suffocation of the living room and he’s more than happy to lead Jeongguk away from prying eyes. Jimin waves to them with a smirk as they head for the upstairs, before Jimin ducks down the hallway just underneath to go to his room. To see Yoongi, probably.

 

“I’m sorry, God, Baekhyun is a pain in the ass,” Taehyung groans once they’re out of earshot, “but I hope you don’t mind being up here. If we were in the kitchen they would all be so annoying and we’d never get anything done.”

 

Jeongguk tries to commit the hanok’s interior layout to memory, easily slipping up the stairs behind Taehyung. “Ah, it’s okay. I don’t mind. Everyone seems really nice.”

 

It isn’t even a lie, or a stretch of the truth. It’s very clear that every member of this pack cares for one another. The playful teasing is just a manifestation of that bond.

 

“They are. I love them, even if they can be annoying.”

 

The upstairs isn’t as spacious, just a hallway and a living room area, and Taehyung pushes open the last door down the hall. There’s a lot of space in between the rooms and when Taehyung brings him into his bedroom, he knows why.

 

The room is large.  _ Fit for an alpha.  _ The hand carved wooden bed is set against one side of the wall, and Jeongguk’s eyes are locked on the fur pelts thrown across the edge of the bed in a bundle. There’s even a large fur rug in the center of the room. There’s a nightstand, a dresser, a desk, and a TV on a stand across from the bed. Sliding doors act as closet doors and another door leads to the bathroom. Curtains hang along the windows and Jeongguk thinks he sees a small balcony leading outside.

 

Taehyung sets his backpack down on the floor by his bed. “Well, here’s my room,” he announces, stepping over to his closet, sliding open the doors. No surprise, it’s a walk in. But Taehyung just slides off his jean jacket and switches it out for a hoodie, conveniently near the front. He pulls it over his head and fixes his hair. 

 

“If you’re not comfortable with the furs, I can take them off. Some people are weird ‘bout it.”

 

“It’s okay!” The words fall out of Jeongguk’s mouth quicker than he realizes. He’s also just been standing in the doorway this whole time, gaping at the bedroom’s interior. So he takes a few steps to enter the room properly. “Should we just. . . sit on the bed then?”

 

“Yeah, bring your stuff over here. Bed’s big enough for two of us.”

 

The bed is bigger than any Jeongguk’s ever seen. Which could be a blessing but also a curse. He takes careful steps until he reaches the left hand side, next to the nightstand, and throws his backpack onto the mattress. “So we’re, uh, balancing equations right now?” 

 

As long as the conversation can stay focused on chemistry, maybe this won’t be so bad. A few ‘bathroom’ breaks should allow him to get a good feel for the rest of the den’s layout.

 

Taehyung flops down on the bed on the other side, causing Jeongguk to bounce just slightly as he takes out his textbook and notebook. Unsurprisingly, he doesn’t take a lot of notes in class. 

 

“Oh, that can be hard,” Taehyung mumbles, gripping the edge of the textbook to slide it closer, settling it between them. “I like to sort of draw the atoms and stuff out, y’know? Just little circles. Here. . .”

 

Jeongguk’s never experienced a werewolf’s disregard for personal space until Taehyung leans over into his space, skimming over one of the practice problems, like it’s something he does everyday.

 

“The— the atoms?”

 

Taehyung bobs his head. His long fringe shifts over his eyes. “Yea. Like, break it all down into atoms per element. Let me show you.”

 

Without asking, Taehyung reaches for the pen between Jeongguk’s fingers. Jeongguk curses himself for jerking away from the heat of Taehyung’s touch. His heartbeat pulses loud behind his eardrums, a shock jolting up his spine from how rough the pads of Taehyung’s fingers feel brushing against his skin.

 

“So the subscripts will tell you how many atoms there are on each side, right?” Unfased, Taehyung quickly jots down a series of letters and numbers that mirrors their practice problem while Jeongguk just nods, not trusting himself to speak. “And something that really helped me was leaving hydrogen and oxygen for last, because they’re usually paired with other elements. So you want to make sure you try and balance everything else first, or else you’re gonna make a lot more work for yourself later.”

 

“Oh.” Jeongguk blinks, surprised that he managed to understand most of that. “So we’d do carbon first for this?”

 

“Exactly! So there’s three on the left side, and only one of the right side. Which means?”

 

“I’d put a coefficient of three on the right side. But then that means I have three times more oxygen.”

 

“And  _ that’s _ why it’s easier to leave oxygen and hydrogen for last,” Taehyung finishes with a warm smile, adding the three in front of the carbon. “Because if you’d done the oxygen first—”

 

“It would have been a lot harder to balance.” Even though this study trip had been a ruse to get him in closer to the pack, excitement bubbles up in the pit of Jeongguk’s stomach. “I don’t know why my boring ass professor couldn’t have explained it like this.” 

 

Taehyung smiles again. “They like to do things the hard way. I learned you just have to ask the right questions and visit them at the right time. Let’s practice some more.”

 

Three more questions in and Jeongguk is pretty sure he’s gotten the hang of it. The last one gives him a little bit of trouble, so Taehyung leans closer again, lets their shoulders brush as he gestures on paper to guide Jeongguk’s attention to the proper answer. Jeongguk’s plants his hand into the furs covering his side of the bed, looking up sharply when his fingers graze Taehyung’s knee.

 

When did they get so close? Jeongguk can see Taehyung’s nostrils flare when their eyes lock. It makes his heart catch in his throat. It could just be the trick of the light, but Taehyung’s eyes don’t appear to be the same chocolate brown they usually are, and it’s like the color is gradually shifting to gold. Jeongguk dares to lean in more out of his curiosity, but he stops short when their faces are just inches away. Taehyung exhales, the soft puff of air hitting Jeongguk’s chin. He smells like warm cinnamon and wood up close.

 

This proximity should send off warning signals in Jeongguk’s head, but he doesn’t move a muscle. Not even when Taehyung, with his golden irises, tips his head just slightly and leans in. Jeongguk inhales breathily and his eyes automatically begin to shut, and Taehyung’s breath is so warm—

 

A loud knock on the door startles them. 

 

Blinking rapidly, Jeongguk shies away from Taehyung, and Taehyung sits straight and his lips are set in a near frown as he glares at the door. They both put some distance between each other. 

 

“Come in,” Taehyung calls, his voice husky and his shoulders tense. His undeniably gold eyes are fixed on the door. Jeongguk’s stomach flips from the sight. 

 

The door creaks open and Jeongguk’s head whips around, but it’s only Minseok. He peeks his head in and smiles meekly, nudging open the door more. He’s holding a plate of snacks in his hand. 

 

“Did I interrupt?”

 

Taehyung’s jaw squares and he shakes his head. “No, we’re just. . . studying. What is it?”

 

Minseok’s eyes flicker from Taehyung to Jeongguk, before he inhales and shuffles into the room after assessing the situation. “I thought you two would enjoy some snacks, just in case you got hungry at all. There are leftovers from dinner downstairs in the fridge if either one of you wants more food. Do you want anything else?”

 

When Taehyung doesn’t say anything, Jeongguk just shakes his head. “No, I’m okay. I’m still kind of full from dinner actually.” His heart rate is slowly dropping, but something almost like guilt crawls up the back of his neck. Even though he knows that he has nothing to feel guilty for. Minseok barging in almost makes him feel like he got caught by a parent doing something that he wasn’t supposed to be.

 

“We’re fine. Thanks, hyung,” Taehyung mumbles, watching as Minseok sets down the plate on the nightstand. Minseok smiles at them before departing, gently shutting the door behind him. For a moment, neither of them say anything. They both  _ knew _ what was going to happen if Minseok hadn’t barged in, but now that whatever atmosphere was present has dissipated, it’s awkward. 

 

At least a minute passes before Taehyung speaks. His eyes are reverting back to brown, and Jeongguk tries not to stare again.

 

“What else do you need help with?”

 

“W-Well,” Jeongguk bites his tongue to fight down the stutter, and pulls the textbook into his own lap, almost shaking as he thumbs through the pages. “Our next test is on chemical bonding. I’m kind of having trouble with the element valences and Lewis structures?”

 

“Bonding?” Taehyung pauses before nodding. “Yeah, okay. Let’s get started.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He meets the pack and things ~almost~ get spicy!! 
> 
> We're back to writing the rest of this series (we took a break trying to do other stuff, but that took us a whole month so :P) so this will be what we're mainly working on until it's finished! Follow our [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas) to stay up to date with us as we work! :)
> 
> Also, keep commenting and leaving kudos! It's nice for us to reason with our readers and see your thoughts and comments on the fic and how it's progressing! :)


	7. VII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’d just spent most of their study session with literal hearts in his eyes, his stomach fluttering every time Taehyung spoke. It was embarrassing. He’d promised Namjoon that he could do this. His reputation and redemption in the eyes of the hunters was worth way more than the infuriating way that Kim Taehyung was making him feel.

It’s just past ten o’clock when they call it quits.

 

They’ve been studying for a couple of hours, but there’s only so much they can do before the material gets boring and repetitive. Jeongguk has been yawning on and off and it’s Taehyung who suggests they should stop. Which, frankly, Jeongguk is a little happy about, because he doesn’t like chemistry and he’s sort of been out of it for the past hour. Jeongguk throws his materials in his backpack and glances over as Taehyung stretches out on the bed, yawning loudly, hands and legs outstretched.

 

“I’ll show you to the room you’re sleeping in,” Taehyung manages to get out in the middle of his stretch, before he sighs and relaxes. He slowly sits up. “Got everything?”

 

“Yup,” Jeongguk pats the front of his bag, once again hyper aware of the silver knife laying in the bottom. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to have a whole room? I don’t mind sleeping on the couch or something.”

 

“Nah, it’s fine. It’s one of the spare rooms we have, and it’d be senseless to have you sleep on the couch when there’s an empty bedroom.”

 

Taehyung stands up from the bed and checks the time on his phone before pocketing it. “Besides, some people here are early birds and they’d wake you up.”

 

That seems fair enough. Although Jeongguk doesn’t mind being woken up early, he’s grateful for the privacy a room to himself will allow. He trails behind Taehyung at a safe, comfortable distance. The elder leads him further down the hallway, back towards the stairs. The rest of the house is only dimly lit. Everyone else must be winding down for the evening.

 

Taehyung’s broad palm plants into the center of the last door on the left hand side. It swings open to reveal a modestly sized spare room, with a full sized bed set up against the window. A tiny nightstand and a low, wide dresser are the only other pieces of furniture. There are furs in this room too: a large one splayed out over the hardwood floor, and another one draped over the foot of the bed. 

 

Jeongguk steps into the room and Taehyung stays by the door. He has his arms folded, body leaning on the door frame. “Those furs will keep you warm if you get cold,” he says, shifting his weight. “And feel free to head downstairs when you wake up, I’m sure they’ll be making breakfast by the time you’re up. I’m a late sleeper, so don’t worry if I’m not down there. Minseok might send you to wake me, anyways.”

 

With his bottom lip drawn up between his teeth, Jeongguk tries not to think about the way Taehyung’s hoodie stretches taut across his chest. “Thanks, hyung,” he mumbles. “I’ll see you in the morning then.”

 

It’s as if Taehyung doesn’t want to leave, reluctantly pushing off the door. “Goodnight, Kook, sleep well.” He reaches forward and smiles for a second, gently shutting the door, leaving Jeongguk alone in his room. 

 

Jeongguk waits until he hears Taehyung’s footsteps retreat before he slumps, letting his shoulders round as he flops down onto the bed. Being around Taehyung is dangerous. He’d thought that he’d be able to draw back, that knowing Taehyung was a werewolf would make any sort of attraction he’d felt evaporate.

 

It hasn’t.

 

And that’s probably what’s the most frustrating thing of all. He’d just spent most of their study session with literal hearts in his eyes, his stomach fluttering every time Taehyung spoke. It was  _ embarrassing _ . He’d promised Namjoon that he could do this. His reputation and redemption in the eyes of the hunters was worth way more than the infuriating way that Kim Taehyung was making him feel.

 

It takes a few minutes for Jeongguk to collect himself. He’s on a mission, a mission for information. While he’d gotten a good look at the front part of the hanok, there was still so much more that could be explored. Finding out how many entrances and exits there were would be excellent tactical information to possess, something that Namjoon would find useful. He’d also have to try to commit to memory who sleeps where, how many cars there are, find out if they keep any sort of weapons anywhere.

 

The house quiets down quickly, but even still he waits for at least thirty minutes before he tries to leave the bedroom. The hall is dark, only illuminated by a soft glow from the only open door, which leads to a bathroom. His feet barely make a sound on the cool wood floors as he heads for the stairs.

 

He manages to make it downstairs to the kitchen without making a sound. The kitchen is a large space that Seokjin would die for. Two large windows open up into the back of the hanok, letting moonlight filter in through the glass. He can see the outline of trees beyond the courtyard.

 

Jeongguk has just enough light to see where he’s going, and he’s quiet about it, but a sudden gruff voice behind him makes him almost stumble into the kitchen island.

 

“The hell you doin’ out here, kid?”

 

Years of hunter training is the only thing that keeps Jeongguk from shrieking. With his pulse hammering wildly, he swallows hard and turns, keeping one hand on the island as he faces an indignant looking Min Yoongi. The semi-darkness makes all the shadows on the alpha’s face seem darker, deeper than normal, and his eyes are narrowed in suspicion. 

 

“I was just. . . thirsty,” he chokes out, embarrassed that the pitch of his voice is so high when he finally is able to find words. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake anyone up.”

 

Yoongi eyes him closely, arms folding across his chest. “Water’s in the fridge,” he says gruffly, inclining his head in the direction of said fridge. “And you didn’t wake anyone up. I stay up late.”

 

“Oh.” Really, Jeongguk hopes his hands don’t shake as he steps forward and reaches for the fridge’s handle. He tells himself the chill that runs up his spine is from the cool fridge air and not the heavy stare he can feel on the back of his neck. “I tried to be quiet. Guess that didn’t work.”

 

It’s a stroke of luck that Yoongi found him while he was still in the kitchen. It’s easy to play off being in the kitchen, not so much if he was discovered in another area of the house.

 

“You sleeping with Taehyung?”

 

The water bottle slips out of Jeongguk’s fingers, slamming into his foot. “Ow! What? No!” With as much dignity as he can muster, he crouches to get a grip on the bottle, hoping the darkness of the room conceals his flush. “I’m in one of the spare bedrooms.”

 

One of Yoongi’s brows raises questionably. He hums, then nods to himself. Jeongguk nervously twists open the cap to the water bottle and drinks slow, hoping that Yoongi will get what he came for and leave. But Yoongi is staring at him intently, eyes unblinking, until there’s the sound of a door opening down the hall.

 

That tears Yoongi’s gaze away from Jeongguk, and Jeongguk breathes a sigh of relief when he sees a fluffy head of blonde hair pop into the kitchen. It’s Jimin. He’s wearing an oversized shirt and sweatpants, just like Yoongi. Even from here, with the shirt hanging so low off his shoulders, Jeongguk can spot the faded white scar on his neck.

 

“Are you trying to scare Kook away?” Jimin asks, slightly amused. Yoongi unfolds his arms from his chest. 

 

“What makes you think—”

 

“I told you, he’s skittish.”

 

Jimin wanders over to the fridge, and Jeongguk steps aside to let him grab a bottle of water. He then walks around the kitchen island to stand next to Yoongi. “Let’s go to bed, Yoongi, hm? Kook looks tired, he worked hard studying. Right, Jeongguk-ah?”

 

“R-right,” Jeongguk punctuates that with a rapid nod of his head. “Just needed some water and I thought everyone was already in bed.”

 

“Everyone retired early for the night, but some of us are still up. I had to finish working on a paper. I’m sure Tae is passed out.” Jimin smiles, curling a hand around Yoongi’s arm. “Yoongi’s always a little restless. Don’t worry about it. Goodnight, Kook, we’ll see you in the morning~”

 

“See you in the morning, hyung,” Jeongguk replies with a strained smile of his own. The water bottle crinkles under his fingertips and Yoongi’s eyes track the motion. It looks like he wants to say something else, but Jimin tugs at his arm, drawing his attention elsewhere. Jeongguk heaves a silent breath of relief having the alpha’s gaze off of him, thankful that Jimin is here as a distraction.

 

“Don’t get lost on the way back, kid,” Yoongi tells Jeongguk with a snort before he and Jimin disappear around the corner. Jeongguk stays where he is until he can hear their bedroom door shut.

 

For a long couple of moments, he debates trying to investigate the rest of the house, but being caught by Yoongi has him so rattled that he doubts he’d be able to be as stealthy as he needs to be. Quietly, he practically tipoes up the stairs once his water is finished, retreats to the relative safety of the spare bedroom. The door shuts behind him with a soft click. Before he climbs into bed, he strips down and tucks the silver knife under the mattress. It doesn’t hurt to make sure that it’s within arm’s reach.

 

Just in case.

 

 

* * *

 

 

It smells like breakfast and that’s why Jeongguk wakes up. Once the disorientation of not being in his own bed disappears, the scent draws him out of the bedroom and down the stairs. It looks like he’s one of the last people in the house to wake up, but he doesn’t see Jimin or Taehyung anywhere. Everyone else spreads out over the kitchen space, with two of the pack members at the stove, the rest chatting and sipping on coffee or water.

 

When he awkwardly wanders into the kitchen, Minseok at the stove turns his head, and Baekhyun grins. 

 

“Good morning, Jeongguk-ah. Did you sleep well?” Minseok asks, smiling warmly as he flips pancakes. 

 

If there was one thing Seokjin and Namjoon always told him, was to be polite, so Jeongguk ducks his head once to nod. “Really well,” he says truthfully, still standing at the mouth of the kitchen. “Are Jimin or Taehyung hyung up yet?”

 

“Jimin is up, he just brought Yoongi coffee, guess Yoongi isn’t feeling so well. I was just about to send Baekhyun or Luhan upstairs to fetch Taehyung. . . but do you want to go do that for me? I’m sure if you woke him up he’d roll right out of bed, unlike with us, where he’ll ignore us for half an hour and go back to sleep.”

 

He’s not sure why his cheeks get hot when Baekhyun laughs in to the rim of his coffee mug. “Yea, Jeongguk-ah, go get our little Taehyungie for us?”

 

“S-Sure,” he stutters, getting his feet tangled in his haste to retreat from the kitchen. It makes sense. Taehyung would probably get up if Jeongguk asks, considering he’s a guest and that Taehyung is probably his ride home. He’d do the same thing if the roles were reversed.

 

He’s quick footed on his way up the stairs, reaching Taehyung’s closed bedroom door in just a few long steps. Here he gives pause. It doesn’t feel like he knows Taehyung well enough to just barge in, so he settles for a few firm taps on the door.

 

There’s no answer. So he swallows and knocks again.

 

This time, he can hear a faint “fuck” from inside the room and next thing he knows, the door opens, and Taehyung stands there, his hair wet, the only thing keeping him decent a pair of sweatpants low around his hips. 

 

Taehyung’s eyes widen, but he has a hand on the doorframe, which makes Jeongguk shrink into himself and he  _ hopes  _ he’s not blushing. His sun-kissed skin is still damp, hair falling into his eyes. Jeongguk tries to keep his eyes focused on Taehyung’s nose and not on the clench of Taehyung’s toned abdomen. 

 

“Kook?”

 

“I—uh— Minseok said I should come wake you up?” It should be a statement but it comes out more like a question and Jeongguk hates himself. “There’s. . . food, and uh— are you taking me home?”

 

Taehyung fidgets before nodding. “Y-yeah, I’ll take you home. No problem. Let me just, ah, hold on a sec. . .” he ducks back into his room and Jeongguk almost slams his head on the wall. Taehyung returns, flinging a shirt over his head, and  _ no,  _ Jeongguk does  _ not  _ stare at the way it hugs his chest just right. He fixes his hair and steps forward, causing Jeongguk to stumble back, the bedroom door shutting gently behind him.

 

“I was already awake surprisingly, just needed to shower. After breakfast, I’ll take you home.”

 

Jeongguk falls into step behind him as they make their way down the stairs, murmuring his thanks quietly. It’s definitely out of the way for Taehyung to take him back into the city, but not like they have a choice.

 

Breakfast is almost done being made by the time they both step back into the kitchen. In the center of the island there are plates piled high with pancakes, bacon, and sausage links. A bowl of fruit sits off to the side along with a little pitcher of syrup and a stick of butter. Jeongguk’s mouth waters.

 

Baekhyun is already digging in, sliding in first to grab two plates, one for him and one for Chanyeol. Chanyeol is seated at the dining room table doing something else and he tries to scold Baekhyun for grabbing him food, saying that he can do it, but Baekhyun happily skips over and pecks him on the cheek, sliding his plate in front of him. Yixing is seated at the bar area in the kitchen on his own, dressed in his scrubs. He must have work soon, even on a Saturday.

 

“Get whatever you want,” Taehyung hums, nudging Jeongguk with a grin as he walks over to the island. “Before it’s all gone.”

 

That’s all the encouragement that Jeongguk needs. He still trails behind Taehyung, feels a little better that there’s someone he knows close by. His plate has several pancakes and sides on it by the time he’s done moving through everything on the island, and he takes an empty seat on the far side of the island so that he can dig into breakfast.

 

Taehyung sits at the island too, digging into pancakes and scarfing them down. Baekhyun flutters past to grab more bacon and he smiles deviously at the two.

 

“How was your study session? You two were pretty quiet up there,” Baekhyun chuckles. Taehyung sends him a dirty look and scowls.

 

“Fuck off, Baek.”

 

“It went great,” Jeongguk tries to say over Taehyung’s growl. He’s not stupid. He knows exactly what Baekhyun’s insinuating, and he tries not let it fluster him. “Taehyung’s really good at explaining chemistry. I might actually pass this next test.”

 

Taehyung’s frown disappears but the corner of his mouth twitches, and he looks over at Jeongguk. “I tried my best,” he mumbles, sending one last look in Baekhyun’s direction before the redhead flips his head and saunters off into the dining room to join his boyfriend. The creak of a door catches Luhan’s attention and they look up when Jimin enters the kitchen.

 

“How’s Yoongi?” Luhan asks, and if Jeongguk didn’t know it, the wolves seem to tense up, Taehyung included. He wrinkles his nose, unlike the others. Jimin sighs and sets Yoongi’s mug in the sink, pouring coffee into another, presumably for himself. 

 

“He’s laying in bed, dozing off. It’ll hit soon.” 

 

From by the stove, Minseok twists his head and stares at Jimin, prompting the blonde to clear his throat and turn around, resting his eyes on Taehyung and Jeongguk. 

 

“Yoongi usually gets sick in the fall, about a month before winter,” Jimin explains. “Is Taehyungie driving you home, Kook?”

 

Yoongi’s sick? It’s probably a werewolf thing, considering how everyone else seems know exactly what’s going on. “Yes?” He looks to Taehyung for confirmation. “If that’s still okay?”

 

“Oh, I was only asking, I wasn’t sure if you still needed a ride or not.”

 

Jimin takes a sip of his coffee before he grabs a plate and walks toward the island, setting his mug down. He grabs a plateful of food for presumably both him and Yoongi. Taehyung polishes off his last bites of pancake.

 

“I’ll go get dressed in a couple minutes and we can head out whenever you’d like. Did your parents or roommates or whoever need you back at a specific time?”

 

“No. I’m usually free on Saturdays. I just have. . .” ‘Training’ he almost says, but catches the word on the tip of his tongue before it escapes. “. . . some chores to do before the end of the day.”

 

Slowly, Taehyung nods, sliding off the stool and bringing his plate over to the dishwasher. “Gotcha. I’ll meet you back down here in a minute, just gonna throw on some different pants and a jacket.”

 

Jeongguk watches Taehyung leave, the elder hopping up the stairs and disappearing down the hall. He can just barely hear his door shutting. 

 

He feels a little uncomfortable again without Taehyung, and Jimin has his plate loaded and appears to be leaving for his bedroom. But, before Jimin leaves, he slides next to Jeongguk. “I’m sorry about Yoongi last night. He is a little —how should I put this—  _ territorial.  _ He doesn’t do well with strangers, or people he doesn’t know very well. He’ll get used to you eventually, I promise.”

 

From what little Jeongguk knows of Yoongi’s history, he doesn’t do well with  _ people _ in general. “It’s okay, hyung. I didn’t take it personally. I’d probably have done the same thing in my house.”

 

Jimin smiles. “Just wanted to let you know, Kookie. Text me when you’re home.”

 

When Jimin is gone, Jeongguk moves to put his plate in the sink and thanks Minseok and Luhan for the meal with a little bow before he scampers back upstairs. In the spare room, he changes back into his clothes from yesterday and tucks the knife into his back pocket. He even pulls the covers back up over the bed to neaten up the space a little bit. 

 

There’s a brief knock on his door and he when he turns to see who it is, it’s Taehyung, wearing ripped jeans and a different hoodie. He tucks his phone in his pocket and smiles. “You ready?”

 

“Ready,” Jeongguk allows himself a small smile, hiking his backpack over his shoulder. 

 

The thought of being alone in a car again with Taehyung has his stomach twisting in knots, especially after the moment they had last night. They haven’t talked about it, and maybe it’s for the best that they don’t. 

 

They head downstairs and Minseok and Luhan say goodbye to Jeongguk, saying how it’s been a pleasure to have him over, they’d love to have him come again, and good luck on chemistry. He feels a blush creep to his cheeks and he bows in thanks, before he scurries out the door after Taehyung. The car is unlocked and Jeongguk slides in, placing his bag on his lap. 

 

“I didn’t think Baekhyun would be so annoying, sorry,” Taehyung mumbles as he reverses and turns the car around, gravel crunching under the tires of his Jeep.

 

“He wasn’t that bad,” Jeongguk assures him, “He just wanted to get on your nerves. But it seems like he does that a lot?”

 

Taehyung chuckles. “He always tries to get on my nerves, he thinks it’s fun. He’s older than me, believe it or not. They just like to tease whenever I bring someone over.”

 

For some reason, Jeongguk fixates on the last sentence more than he’d like to admit, lips twisting together into a scowl. “It just means they care about you,” he says, tries not to think about how many other people Taehyung’s been teased about. 

 

“Yeah, I guess so.”

 

Their conversation lulls after that. Taehyung turns on the radio, and Jeongguk finds himself humming to it, and Taehyung drums his fingers against the steering wheel. They enter the city and from there, Jeongguk gives Taehyung directions on where to go, because they’re both too lazy to take out their phones and GPS their way to Jeongguk’s house. 

 

When they do get there, Taehyung pulls to the curb at the beginning of the block just like before, throwing the car in park. He rests against his seat and turns to Jeongguk, who is currently double-checking he has everything. Jeongguk knows he has everything, but he doesn’t want to leave the car for some reason. Not yet. 

 

“So. . . thanks for coming over. I hope I tutored you enough.”

 

Jeongguk blinks up, holding Taehyung’s gaze. That feeling is back. Warmth that liquifies his insides in the most pleasant way possible. “Yea, no. Thanks for helping me, and for letting me stay. You’re gonna have to let me know how I can pay you back.”

 

“Ah, it was nothing,” Taehyung beams, and for the first time, he’s bashful. Jeongguk has always seem him so confident and bubbly, but now he’s shy, nearly tripping over his words, running his hands across his thighs. “You don’t need to pay me back. But, um. . . maybe you can. . . come see me when I’m at work one day this week? O-or whenever, honestly, I just get bored and don’t really have anyone to talk to before I close and it might be nice to talk to you and make you coffee, if you like coffee—”

 

He sucks in a breath, as if he realizes how he’s starting to babble, and Jeongguk is  _ gone _ . 

“Sure! I’ve never been when you’re working. I’ll come work on a paper or something. Keep you company for a little bit.”

 

Instantly, Taehyung perks, eyes lighting up. There’s the faintest tinge of gold again. “Really? I work any day that I’m not at practice, so Tuesdays and Thursdays until we close. It’s just the main coffee shop on campus. Just. . . come in whenever. I’ll make you whatever you’d like.”

 

“It’s a—“ ‘Date’, he almost says. “—deal. Thursday then!”

 

“Okay, Thursday.” Taehyung’s smile is blinding, and Jeongguk’s heart races. “I’ll see you Monday at practice, Kook.”

 

The tips of his ears burn. “See you Monday,” he repeats, finally reaching for the door pull so he can slide out of the passenger’s seat. When the door’s slammed shut, Jeongguk gives Taehyung a wave, and waits until he pulls away from the curb to start walking to his house. When he gets inside, with his legs feeling light, he heads straight for the stairs despite someone calling his name from the living room. He drops his bag on the floor of his room and proceeds to flop into bed, shoving his face into his pillow with the strong urge to shout about Kim Taehyung.

 

_ God, I’m so fucked.  _

 

 

* * *

 

 

When Taehyung returns home an hour later, a couple of grocery bags in his hands, Chanyeol’s car is gone in the driveway. He remembered hearing something about him and Baekhyun going out on a date somewhere and Taehyung couldn’t be more pleased.  _ Good riddance. _

 

He spots Minseok’s head of light hair in the kitchen and his nose wrinkles when he passes the hallway where the bedrooms are. Minseok catches sight of it and shuts the fridge door, can of soda in his hand.

 

“Smells pretty strong, huh?” Minseok comments. Taehyung sets the grocery bags down on the island and Minseok places his soda can on the counter to help him unpack.

 

Taehyung’s eyes flicker in the direction of the hallway and his tongue clicks. “Yeah, s’pretty strong. I completely forgot his rut is coming, haven’t kept track lately.” He digs out a couple packages of fresh meat and slides them over to Minseok to put away. “It won’t be here for another day or two.”

 

Minseok pops open the fridge and finds a spot for the meat, humming and reaching out for anything else Taehyung grabbed: fruit, bottles of soju, soy sauce. He shuts it with his hip when the groceries are put away and Taehyung opens the pantry to put bags of chips and ramen in there. 

 

“Is Jeongguk-ah going to be back here? In the future?”

 

Taehyung grunts as he bends down to grab the package of ramen. “Yeah, probably, maybe, I dunno. Why?”

 

“Well, I was just asking. It’d be nice to have him over again. I like him.”

 

Standing up, Taehyung glances over his shoulder at Minseok. The fact that Minseok actually likes Jeongguk should make him happy --because his hyung rarely comments positively on people Taehyung brings home-- but he knows there is a deeper, hidden meaning to Minseok’s words.  _ Something _ is on his mind. 

 

“Why are you  _ really  _ asking?”

 

Minseok is quiet for a moment, folding his arms across his chest. “When I came in last night with the snacks, you—”

 

Taehyung cuts him off with a groan, angling his head towards the ceiling.  _ I should have expected this.  _

 

“ _ Hyung—” _

 

“Tae.” Minseok looks at him. “You two were having a moment, I get it, you don’t need to elaborate. I didn’t think I’d barge in on anything important. But. . . you need to watch yourself. Your eyes. They were gold, and I’m pretty sure Jeongguk noticed.”

 

The alpha chews on his lower lip. Usually, he has stable control over his inner wolf, but sometimes he loses that control with anger. Which isn’t often, but there are instances where it happens, and it will be gone in a matter of seconds. But what he has a hard time controlling is his excitement. Ever since he was a pup, he’s always been on the move, enthusiastic and eager. It took him a long time to control such emotions, and he hadn’t even realized he  _ was  _ in an excitable state with Jeongguk, not even in that moment. 

 

“Oh,” he mumbles dumbly. “I didn’t know.”

 

“Don’t make a big deal out of it, Tae. It happens. But. . . you haven’t told Jeongguk who you are yet, have you?”

 

That question surprises Taehyung. He blinks twice, shaking his head slowly. Minseok bites his cheek. 

 

“I think you should tell him,” Minseok says, in a softer voice. “If you like him and you might  _ date  _ him, which I know you’re considering, then it might be a good idea to tell him who you are. It’s better to do it sooner than later, and I don’t want your heart to get stomped on like it has before. I think it’ll be better for you in the long run, too.”

 

Taehyung itches, his eyes falling to the floor. He’s tried to not think about telling Jeongguk who —or, rather,  _ what  _ he is, because he’s faced rejection multiple times and it’s always a slap in the face he can never prepare for. But he also hasn’t been this interested in someone for awhile now, and last night they were  _ so  _ close, with Jeongguk’s breath fanning over his cheeks and their hands brushing—

 

“I should do it soon, shouldn’t I?”

 

Minseok nods carefully, voice quiet. “Soon, yeah. We don’t want you to get your hopes up, Tae. And with Yoongi’s rut, yours might come early because yours aren’t regular—”

 

“I know, hyung. I know.”

 

Ruts are trivial things. Luckily, there are only two alphas in the household, but ruts are still a pain for everyone. Yoongi’s are worse than Taehyung’s even though Yoongi has a mate to help him through it, and he becomes far more aggressive and territorial in rut. Taehyung becomes territorial too because he’s pack alpha, but his ruts aren’t regular yet and the rut of another alpha he lives with can force his rut to surface early. One time, his rut came two months early because of Yoongi and two years ago, they had their ruts at the same time. They don’t want that to happen again,  _ ever.  _

 

But it will be hard if Taehyung goes into rut when he has a boyfriend who doesn’t know about them. Things can go wrong easily in that situation.

 

After a minute of silence, Minseok approaches Taehyung with a comforting smile. 

 

“But don’t do anything you don’t want to do, okay? I’m not always right. I’m just trying to do what I think is best for you and looking out for you.”

 

Taehyung cracks a smile, shutting the pantry door behind him. “When are you not right, hyung?” he laughs, just as Minseok reaches up to ruffle his hair. 

 

“More often than you think. Go on, play Overwatch for the rest of the day before  _ you _ help me cook dinner with those ingredients you bought.”

 

Whining, Taehyung drags his feet to the stairs. “Is this a punishment for being a good alpha and providing for the family?”

 

Minseok throws a dish towel at him as he retreats upstairs. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are progressing! :')
> 
> Follow us on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas) if you haven't already and stay tuned for the next updates as they come along! <3


	8. VIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He can’t stop thinking about how normal the pack seems. If he hadn’t known beforehand, he wouldn’t have ever thought they were wolves. In his mind, werewolves were aggressive, filthy, animalistic creatures; and from what he’d seen, Taehyung and his pack members were anything but. In fact, besides Yoongi, everyone had been so welcoming and accommodating, more so than even some hunters he’s met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is sort of a jumbled mess dskjghdkfhfd bUt it's important and we finally get some action between Taekook! ;D (And no, it's not sex, but it's about time we update the tags so you guys know what you're getting into lol) 
> 
> Keep reading to find out what it is~

Once again, Jeongguk’s weekend is frightfully uneventful. It turns out that Namjoon was called away to Daegu until Monday evening, so there’s no opportunity for Jeongguk to report back on his little sleepover at the den. 

 

He can’t stop thinking about how  _ normal _ the pack seems. If he hadn’t known beforehand, he wouldn’t have ever thought they were wolves. In his mind, werewolves were aggressive, filthy, animalistic creatures; and from what he’d seen, Taehyung and his pack members were anything but. In fact, besides Yoongi, everyone had been so welcoming and accommodating, more so than even some hunters he’s met.

 

On Monday, Jimin is in chemistry, and he and Jeongguk chat like usual. Jimin once again apologizes for Yoongi’s behavior, which Jeongguk just brushes off. It’s not on his mind. 

But what is on his mind is inevitably Jimin, because when Jeongguk steps foot into dance practice, Jimin isn’t there, and Jimin’s  _ always  _ first. Figuring he’s late, he stretches on his own until Taehyung shows up, and while Jeongguk is waiting around, Jimin texts Taehyung about not coming. Taehyung had pursed his lips and gnawed on his gums when he read the message, but by then, practice started and they had to leave it at that.

 

When Jeongguk texts Jimin later on Monday night, there’s no answer. He checks his phone when he wakes up Tuesday morning, and notices that Jimin left him on read and never responded. 

 

Because he doesn’t have dance practice, he can’t talk to Taehyung about Jimin’s mysterious disappearance. They never exchanged numbers, he realizes. He has no clue how to contact Taehyung outside of practice. 

 

That’s the first thing he’ll try to do on Wednesday: get his number.  _ It’s to benefit us,  _ he convinces himself,  _ not because I want to go on a date with him or talk about chemistry. _

 

Well, he tries to think that.

 

Later that night, a day after Namjoon’s return from Daegu, he calls a meeting. Just like before, the hunters file into the basement to hear what Namjoon has to say, all except for Kris and Victoria, who are off in China on business. Jeongguk flops down on the couch where Sehun and Tao sit like usual. 

 

Sehun leans in to Jeongguk once he’s all settled. “So how are you and your werewolf boyfriend, hm? Bet this meeting is about him.”

 

“Shut up, Sehun,” he grumbles back in response, trying to sink into the cushions as far as he can. “No one asked you.”

 

Tao sniggers next to Sehun. Jeongguk frowns and folds his arms across his chest, eyes focused forward on Namjoon at the front of the room. He doesn’t have any folders with him, nothing of the sort; just Seokjin at his side, all power in the room radiating from them. All Namjoon has to do is clear his throat to grab everyone’s attention.

 

“I’m going to keep this short and simple, because I’m still tired from the trip and dealing with all those assholes in Daegu.” Namjoon rubs the area between his eyebrows before continuing. “As you know, a bunch of hunters were called to Daegu, just to report on any activity in their respected areas. I wasn’t planning on revealing the pack in Seoul, because things would get ugly, and well. . . things did sort of get ugly.”

 

He rests his palms on the table in front of him. “Kim Jongdae, that fucking loudmouth, apparently already told the Daegu hunters about our wolf pack situation. So when it was my turn, it all blew up in my face. It was embarrassing and not to mention, infuriating.”

 

“Fucking demons,” Yezi mutters under her breath, arms crossed in front of her body and a scowl on her face. “I keep telling everyone not to trust them, and no one ever listens.”

 

“Why?” Luna talks over her, eyes fixed on Namjoon. “We don’t even have that much to report yet. And from what we’ve seen —or from the lack of what we’ve seen— this pack seems to want to keep to themselves. Peaceful. So what are they worried about?”

 

Jeongguk shrinks down even further. It doesn’t bode well that hunters outside their small group know about the pack. He’d hoped to keep things just between him and Namjoon unless something else happens.

 

Namjoon’s eyes flicker over to Jeongguk, and Jeongguk tucks himself into his shirt. Luckily, he isn’t called on. Yet. “I know, I know. Which is why I lied to them about what’s going on.”

 

Seokjin whips his head around and he stares incredulously at Namjoon. There’s a murmur in the room, and Jeongguk just wants to disappear.

 

“You  _ lied _ ?” Everyone can hear Seokjin hiss. “Namjoon, what are you  _ thinking _ —”

 

“I didn’t tell them we were getting involved yet, that Jeongguk is doing surveillance on them. I told them we were going to keep an eye from afar, and if we needed to, we’d step in or ask them for help. If I had told them what our plan was, they might have come back to Seoul  _ with  _ me.” Namjoon is speaking directly to Seokjin, but his words are for everyone to hear. “I did it so they wouldn’t have to worry about anything, and hopefully it worked. I want to keep all of you safe and if they’re here with us, it’d be a hell of a lot worse.”

 

“So do we  _ have _ anything to report on surveillance?” Amber cuts in from where she’s standing, leaned up against the far wall with her hands clasped in front of her body. Jeongguk watches everyone’s eyes slide over him and he cringes. He wanted to tell Namjoon in privacy but it looks like he might have to give his report in front of everyone.

 

Namjoon slowly folds his arms over his chest and inhales through his mouth, holding his breath before letting it out. He’s hesitant, but his eyes fixate on Jeongguk. “Let’s hear it, Kook. Tell us what’s happened so far.”

 

Well, here goes nothing. “There’s eight of them, all male. Three mated pairs, from what it seemed like. . . or at least courting?” he starts off with. “Their den is this old renovated hanok about thirty minutes outside of the city limits. It doesn’t look heavily fortified and I didn’t see any weapons around.”

 

“I wouldn’t expect them to have weapons,” Amber states. That’s right; she’s the one who trains them all in combat. “Wolves usually don’t carry weapons with them, because they can shift at any moment, and that’s just as deadly as something like a bow or knife. It’s easier to shoot at them with guns, but if you have no weapon, you’re up against claws and teeth, and not to mention, pure wolf instinct. They rely on their wolf form for combat. You wouldn’t find any weapons there.”

 

Jeongguk ducks his head once to nod. “I don’t think there’s very much else to report,” he adds, trying to wrack his brain for anything else that would have been pertinent information. “Oh, Yoongi is sick? Getting sick? And his mate —Jimin— I haven’t heard from him since Monday. But I don’t know what’s going on.”

 

Namjoon chews on his lip, glancing to Seokjin. But Seokjin is still unhappy, doesn’t offer much other than a tiny nod. They’re thinking the same thing, even though they haven’t said a word to each other. 

 

“It might be his rut. If Jimin isn’t talking to you, and he didn’t show up, then. . .”

 

_ Oh. _ That makes a lot of sense actually. Jeongguk wrinkles his nose in distaste. That means Jimin probably has had his hands full for the last two days. “Yea. No, that—that makes sense. Yoongi was pretty. . . suspicious of me. At least it seemed that way. More territorial than the others, but not aggressive or anything.”

 

“Alphas are real knotheads around that time. But. . . just be careful around the Kim kid. If he’s your age and he’s an alpha, he’s impressionable to another alpha’s rut, especially in such close proximity. We don’t know if he’s aggressive near rut, or if he’s territorial. It’s best not to set him off.”

 

He hadn’t even  _ thought _ about Taehyung going into a rut and now it makes his cheeks flare pink. “I will be. Taehyung didn’t seem any different at school. I’ll see him tomorrow at dance, and I’ll let you know if I find out anything else.”

 

“I want you to keep doing what you’re doing, Jeongguk. Don’t push anything. And to all of you, don’t say a word to anyone; this stays in this basement. Even if you trust someone, even if they’re also a hunter, you say nothing. Understood?”

 

Quietly, a chorus of sharp “understood’s” ring through the basement. Namjoon looks only somewhat pleased. “Good. You’re all dismissed.”

 

Everyone stands and prepares to leave the basement, furniture creaking and groaning under the change in weight. Yezi fixes an eye on Jeongguk, tapping the edge of his shoe with the tip of her boot. “Don’t crack now, Jeon,” she drawls. “No pressure.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

It’s a relief to be heading into dance practice on Wednesday. The entire situation with the Daegu hunters is making Jeongguk feel uneasy, and stressed because right now he’s the closest link to the pack. That makes him a target if anyone finds out, and the last thing he needs is for this all to blow up in his face.

 

He’s even more relieved to see Taehyung when he walks into the practice room. Jimin isn’t with him— has still left Jeongguk on ‘read’ since Monday. A few others are already stretching out in front of the mirror, including Taehyung, and Jeongguk has to take a deep breath before he approaches.

 

“Hey, hyung, Jimin’s not with you today?”

 

Taehyung, in the middle of stretching his arms across his chest, turns his head and beams at Jeongguk. “Oh, hey, Kook,” he hums, pulling an arm over his head. “And no, he’s still not feeling well. He’ll be here tomorrow, though.”

 

“Oh, cool. That’s good,” Jeongguk sets his bag off to the side and joins Taehyung for the rest of their stretching. He laces his hands together behind his back, pushing them down to stretch out the muscles in his chest. “He hasn’t texted me back since Monday. . . and I realized I don’t have your number either?”

 

Hopefully that doesn’t come off as lame as he thinks it sounds.

 

And apparently it doesn’t, because Taehyung blinks, dropping his arms down and digging around in his pocket for his phone. He fumbles with it, before handing an empty contact screen over to Jeongguk. 

 

“Go ahead and put your number in. I can’t believe I don’t have your number.” Taehyung laughs, adjusting his hoodie. He’s not wearing anything underneath, Jeongguk can tell by the way it exposes his collarbones and honeyed skin. Not that he’s looking on purpose or anything.

 

With his number typed out into the appropriate space, he saves his contact and carefully makes sure that their fingers don’t brush when he gives the phone back. “Cool. Just text me so I have yours.”

 

See? That sounded smooth. 

 

Taehyung’s fingers tap at his screen and he pockets his phone with a smile. A few seconds later, Jeongguk’s phone beeps, and he digs it out to see what Taehyung sent him.

 

**_:)_ **

 

A smiley face.

 

_ Cute. _

 

Taehyung stuffs his hands in the pocket of his hoodie as Jeongguk enters Taehyung’s contact info. When he puts his phone away, Taehyung is bouncing from his heels to his ankles, and he exhales out a few jumbled sentences.

 

“So, um. . . that dance festival thing is coming up, and you know, Jimin’s been helping me and stuff, but he can’t really help me until Friday and I was wondering if you can. . . uh. . . maybe help me? Today? After practice? I already talked with our instructor, and he said it’s fine if we stay after to work on things. Well, I said I’d do it on my own, but I don’t think he’d mind another person helping me. Do you mind? I mean, you don’t have to, s’cool, just. . . wondering.”

 

He inhales sharply to cut himself off and he chews on his upper lip, blinking multiple times at Jeongguk.

 

“Oh— yea, sure!” Jeongguk hopes he doesn’t come off too eager. “I don’t mind. We can run it through a few times and I can see if there’s anything I can do to help.”

 

Taehyung’s face lights up, eyebrows raising and mouth opening in a grin. “Really? Okay, perfect! S’just a few things that need work. We’ll be the only ones in here, so we won’t have to worry about sharing with anyone else. You need a ride home afterwards?”

 

“Ah, you don’t have to. I usually walk. I don’t live that far.”

 

“Walk? At night? I don’t know how late it’ll be, and if it’s dark out, I’m driving you. Deal?”

 

Jeongguk looks down at his toes, wiggling them inside his shoes as he folds himself in half. It’s mostly to stretch out his hamstrings, but also to hide the bit of flush he can feel spreading across his nose and cheeks. “Sure, hyung. Whatever you want.”

 

Practice begins minutes later, and continues like normal. It is different not having Jimin next to him, just an empty space at his side. They finish up the routine they’ve been working on since last week and break off into groups to perform and critique. Jeongguk and Taehyung aren’t in the same group, butch actively watch one another when it’s their group’s turn to dance. 

 

Facing the mirrors, the group dances to the routine, while the others sit and watch. When Jeongguk is up, he can feel a pair of eyes on him, as if he’s a target being spotted. Through the mirror as he’s dancing, he sneaks glimpses of Taehyung staring intently at him as he dances. A wave of heat courses through his system and he nearly fumbles with a step, but luckily, nobody notices. Not even Taehyung. 

 

He drops to the floor when he’s done dancing, snatching his water bottle from the floor to take a sip. Taehyung doesn’t congratulate him because he’s now at the front of the room, sweatpants and hoodie and all, brushing his hair away from his face. Jeongguk  _ swears  _ he sees Taehyung smirk through the mirror, but he averts his eyes and proceeds to drown himself with his water bottle instead.

 

Taehyung’s improved as a dancer. He’s not as awkward anymore, and it shows he’s a fast learner. His moves aren’t as sharp or fluid as, say, Jimin, and Jimin usually pokes fun at Taehyung because of his noodly limbs. His group does well, and Jeongguk claps for him as their instructor calls it a day. 

 

“Kook, you dance just as good as our instructor!” Taehyung laughs as he bounds over to Jeongguk hovering near his bag, texting Seokjin that he’ll be home late and that he’s getting a ride there most likely. 

 

“Far from it!” Jeongguk protests, secretly preening at the praise. “You don’t need to flatter me, hyung. I already said I’d stay and help you.”

 

“What? I’m not allowed to give you praise?” Taehyung chuckles, and Jeongguk feels heat rise to his cheeks once more. “C’mon, you know it’s true~”

 

What he gets is a shove to the chest for his teasing. “Come on, hyung. Show me what you got.”

 

Taehyung scoffs with a laugh, pushing Jeongguk’s shoulders playfully. The studio is almost cleared out by now, and their instructor stops and looks at the two, interrupting their fight.

 

“I’m locking the doors, so if you have to go outside, you can’t get back in. Make sure you don’t leave anything here, alright? I’ll see you two on Friday.”

 

“See you Friday!” They both yell, bowing their heads as their teacher exits the building, leaving them alone. The studio clears out pretty fast, though there probably are still stragglers in the changing room. 

 

Turning to Jeongguk, Taehyung sets his phone down next to his bag. “Was that a challenge?” he questions, quirking a brow deviously.

 

Jeongguk shoves him again and steps past him, moving towards the stereo in the corner of the room. “Trust me, you’d know if I was challenging you,” he bites back, crouching down in front of the control panel. “You got the song on your phone?”

 

Taehyung snorts. “You’re so cocky, aren’t you,” he huffs, but he bends down to pick up his phone again, scrolling through his music playlists. The stereo is bluetooth connected, and he sets his phone down on the floor in front of the mirrors where they’ll be dancing. He’s stretched enough, but he still shakes out his legs as Jeongguk ambles back over.

 

“Tell me whenever you’re ready, Kook.”

 

“Ready when you are.” He stands a little ways back so that he can watch Taehyung’s form in the mirror as well. “Just do one run through of the choreography and I’ll let you know if anything looks shaky.”

 

Taehyung ducks down to hit play. Rainism plays from the stereo, but because Taehyung is only one of the couple of dancers, he doesn’t start from the beginning. Instead, he waits. It isn’t long before he’s jumping in, dancing to his part of the choreography.

 

Even if Jeongguk didn’t know about Taehyung’s true nature, he’d probably still say that there’s something animalistic in the way that Taehyung moves his body. The tone of the choreography is supposed to be sexy, and even though Taehyung doesn’t have the control that Jeongguk or the more advanced dancers possess, there’s something predatory in his eyes that definitely allows him to pull it off.

 

The song plays through once and leaves Taehyung with his chest heaving from the exertion of dancing. His sweaty forehead glistens in the harsh fluorescent lighting when he rakes his hair off his face.

 

Jeongguk swallows. “That was. . . really good. There’s just. . . during the chorus you need to move your hips a little more. Sway in the opposite direction of your hand as it comes around the back of your neck, then with it when you trail it down your chest.”

 

Taehyung nods, but he twists his head. “Can you. . . show me? Wanna make sure I get it right.”

 

The song keys up again, and honestly, Jeongguk could run this through in his sleep. Once the chorus strikes, he emphasizes the corrections he’d given Taehyung, but doesn’t bother to do the whole thing. “Like that,” he says, finally making eye contact with Taehyung through the mirror. There’s something dark,  _ hungry _ in the way that he’s staring. It makes the hairs on Jeongguk’s arms stand on end. “You’re just a little stiff. Loosen it up. Feel it. You know?”

 

Taehyung’s tongue flicks out to lick his lips and he nods, before rewinding that part of the song. Jeongguk stands to the side, watching, as Taehyung tries to follow Jeongguk’s instructions. He sways his hips more, and Jeongguk watches Taehyung’s long fingers as they circle around his neck and trail down his body in an entirely sensual way. Their eyes lock through the mirror after Taehyung finishes the troublesome part of the chorus.

 

“Better?” There might be the slightest tinge of gold in Taehyung’s eyes. “Enough to be a bad boy?”

 

That shouldn’t make Jeongguk’s knees weak, but it does. “Save the fan service for performance night, hyung,” he chides the elder, but the words come out strained. “Almost there, just—“ 

 

Instead of trying to explain or show again, he steps up behind Taehyung, watching them in the full length mirror over Taehyung’s shoulder and plants his palms on his hips. His skin radiates heat even through layers of clothing. “—like  _ this _ .”

 

Without the music, he pushes and pulls at Taehyung’s body, drawing out and polishing the motion. Their eyes meet in the mirror but Jeongguk finds that he can’t look away, doesn’t  _ want  _ to look away. 

 

He exhales against Taehyung’s ear when the brunette reaches down to trail his palms over Jeongguk’s fingers, a shock of electricity zipping through Jeongguk’s spine at the contact. Taehyung’s hands just brush over his knuckles, fingers nearly interlocking. When he turns his head, gold eyes stare back at him, scent of cinnamon spice filling his senses. 

 

It’s as if all at once, something connects between them. Their hands shift and their heads tilt just as their mouths collide in a kiss that has Jeongguk’s toes curling. He gasps as Taehyung twists, rounding on him without really pulling away. It’s the perfect opportunity for Taehyung to slip his tongue into the hot wet of Jeongguk’s mouth. 

 

Jeongguk can’t breathe, hands fisted in the front of Taehyung’s sweatshirt, dizzy and lightheaded and hot all over. Taehyung’s teeth scrape over his bottom lip and that nearly makes his knees give out underneath his body, barely any time to draw in a ragged breath before Taehyung dives back in for more. 

 

Taehyung’s fingers knot in Jeongguk’s hair at the back of his head. He’s controlling their kiss, other hand finding purchase on the curve of Jeongguk’s slim waist, sharp canines digging into the swell of his lower lip. Jeongguk lets out a whine that only encourages Taehyung to press harder, in a primal way that has heat swirling in Jeongguk’s belly. 

 

It’s hard to pull away, and when they break apart, a strand of saliva connects their mouths together. Taehyung’s eyes are golden, pupils blown wide, but he keeps a hand in Jeongguk’s hair to tip his head back and run the flat of his tongue wetly against the side of Jeongguk’s neck with a heady groan. 

 

“Ah,  _ hyung _ —“

 

The rest of whatever he was going to say is bitten off when he feels Taehyung’s teeth nip at his skin. Something white hot arcs up his spine, curving him even harder into the front of Taehyung’s body. Afraid of the noises he might make, Jeongguk squirms and ducks his head, slotting his mouth back over Taehyung’s in a desperate, messy kiss. 

 

They kiss hot and heavy until they run out of air. Taehyung’s fingers have slipped under Jeongguk’s shirt and his thumb brushes the jut of his hipbone, their foreheads bumping. A rumble leaves Taehyung’s throat, and it’s the hand around his waist that keeps Jeongguk on his feet.

 

“Shit, Jeongguk,” Taehyung breathes, hand sliding free of Jeongguk’s hair. 

 

Every place Taehyung’s touched him feels burned, but it’s the deep timber of his voice, almost a growl, that makes Jeongguk feel like he’s melting. “Tae—“

 

Taehyung's fingers swipe over Jeongguk's swollen lips. He lingers, pressing his thumb against his chin. “You taste so good,” he murmurs. “I could just eat you up.”

 

Those words make Jeongguk freeze, make him remember exactly what Taehyung  _ is _ , and how this is  _ not _ what he had in mind when he’d told Namjoon that he’d get close. Even though he tries not to, he jerks almost entirely out of Taehyung’s grip, pretends he doesn’t see the hurt that flashes in his eyes. 

 

“I—” he begins, voice cracking on the single syllable, “think you’ve got it.”

 

They’re still too close. It’s hard to breathe. The air feels too thick, so Jeongguk steps back a few more paces. “You were just too stiff, but— but it’s fine. And— and Jimin hyung can probably show you even better than I can so—”

 

“Oh,” Taehyung mumbles, and his voice is so quiet, soft, on the verge of cracking. He closes in on himself, half folding his arms across his chest, chewing on his lower lip. Jeongguk’s never seen him so unsure of himself before. 

 

It takes a minute, but Taehyung backs off and gives Jeongguk the room he thinks he needs. 

 

“D-do you still want a ride home? O-or—”

 

This must be a little bit what heartbreak feels like when Jeongguk turns his back and reaches for his own bag. He  _ wants _ to say yes, but— “No, it’s okay. I’m really not a far walk and I’m sure you probably want to get home before it gets too dark outside.” He’s a coward, refusing to meet Taehyung’s eyes as he shoulders his backpack and tries not to think about how his mouth still tingles. “I’ll, uh, see you later?”

 

Taehyung’s eyes narrow, but he nods silently. Jeongguk exhales, relieved that Taehyung won’t push it.  _ But maybe he should. _

 

“Yeah. . . see you later. Have a safe walk.”

 

Taehyung reaches for his bag, swiping it up from the floor before quickly walking past Jeongguk. He spares him a glance as he slides by, but other than that, Taehyung says nothing. And Jeongguk just watches him leave with his heart in his throat.

 

 

* * *

 

 

_ God, you’re so fucking stupid.  _

 

Taehyung berates himself on the drive home, even when he enters the front door. He kicks off his shoes with more force than necessary and, as usual on bad days, bypasses the kitchen and living room and heads straight for his bedroom.

 

He can hear Minseok’s voice calling him from the kitchen, but he doesn’t stop to say hi. He’s not in the mood. He’s not in the mood for  _ anything.  _

 

When he goes upstairs, he closes the door of his room, tosses his bag in the corner, and flops right down on the bed face first. The mattress creaks, and he groans into the pillows and furs of his bed. 

 

_ Stupid. _

 

He had one fucking chance, and he blew it. It started off well, but then he just had to give into his wolf headspace and fuck it all up. Jeongguk had felt so pliant in his hands, his mouth soft and plush and his noises pretty—

 

Taehyung groans loudly into his pillows in frustration.

 

He doesn’t lay there for long before there’s a knock on his door and Jimin’s gentle voice floats through.

 

“Tae? Can I come in?”

 

Groaning again, he moves his head to the side just enough for his voice not to be garbled..

 

“Yeah, guess so.”

 

The door creaks open, and Jimin’s socked feet make swishing noises against the hardwood floor. He stops just at the edge of Taehyung’s bed, waiting patiently. “You’re not going to bite my head off are you?”

 

Taehyung peeks up at Jimin through his bangs. “S’pose not,” he mumbles. “What?”

 

“Don’t ‘what’ me,” Jimin huffs good naturedly, wiggling his way into the bed so he can lay on his side, head propped up on his hand. “I just got done dealing with one alpha, and now I have to deal with another one. Now either you can tell me what happened and why you’re in such a mood, or you can sit there and sulk and I’ll stay here and stare at you.”

 

With a whine, Taehyung rolls over to face Jimin. “God, you sound like my  _ mom,”  _ he mutters, settling in to the bed on his side, head on the pillow. Jimin stares at him expectantly. With a sigh, he answers.

 

“I kissed him, Chim.”

 

“You  _ did _ ?” Clearly there’s excitement in Jimin tone and he visibly perks up. “Tell me  _ everything.  _ Shouldn’t you be happy about this?”

 

Taehyung whines again, pitifully, crestfallen. “I  _ should  _ be but. . . I spooked him. I-I let my headspace get to me, and he just. . . he got scared. Backed away and got all awkward and shy and wanted to forget about it.”

 

“Oh Tae, you knew he’d need to warm up to us, to  _ you.  _ You didn’t like, try to shift on him, did you?”

 

“ _ What? _ No! No, I didn’t try to shift on him,” Taehyung stutters in his explanation. “It was just. . . it was one of those mutual moments. We both leaned in. And he. . . he wanted  _ more,  _ so I kissed him again, but then I must have spooked him and it ended that fast—”

 

“Maybe you’re just a bad kisser.” Jimin’s trying to lighten the mood, but frankly Taehyung doesn’t appreciate it, throwing him a look that sobers the other wolf instantly. “Geesh, sorry, sorry. What did you  _ say _ ? I’m sure he didn’t just bolt without saying anything.”

 

Taehyung’s voice drops to a near-whisper. He’s shy to think of it now, but in the moment, it seemed appropriate. And he’s embarrassed to repeat it.

 

“Just told him he tasted good. . . that I’d eat him up.”

 

When Jimin’s eyes widen, Taehyung fumbles, sitting up on his elbows. “It just— it came out! It felt right in the moment, I  _ swear _ .” He groans loudly.  “I told you your fucking mate was going to fuck up my cycle! Now I’m saying dumb shit because my rut’s getting closer.”

 

“Oh sure, blame Yoongi for the fact you couldn’t think with your head for once and not your knot.”

 

Taehyung scoffs, baring his teeth in doing so. “Yeah, like Yoongi doesn’t think with his knot whenever  _ you’re  _ around.”

 

“That’s different, Tae, and you know it.” Jimin sits up, crossing his arms over his chest. “Yoongi didn’t tell me that he wanted to  _ eat _ me the first time he kissed me. I would have thought he was a psychopath. Sure, if Jeongguk was another wolf. . . maybe that would be different but he’s  _ human _ . He doesn’t even know werewolves exist.”

 

“It was supposed to be sexy, fuck,” Taehyung hisses, lying back down on his side. “So I came off a little strong, I’m telling you, it’s because my rut’s coming soon. When I see him next, I’ll apologize. He doesn’t have to know what I am. Not yet.”

 

The natural pout of Jimin’s mouth increases. “When are you going to tell him? You  _ are  _ going to tell him, right?”

 

“I should soon, shouldn’t I?”

 

When Jimin shrugs, the wide collar of his t-shirt slips down his shoulder. “You like him. If you want something more, then you have to. It isn’t fair and he’ll end up finding out anyway. Trust me.”

 

Taehyung chews his lips. “It’s better to tell him sooner than later, I know. Just like you and Yoongi, right?”

 

“I’m. . . I was a lot different than Jeongguk. But hiding such a big piece of who you are from someone you care about, that you might want to pursue something more with, it’s dangerous. You owe it to him to be honest, but you have to be sure. There’s no taking it back.”

 

“I know,” he mumbles. “I just need the right opportunity. I asked him to come by work tomorrow, so. . . if he shows up, I’ll ask him on a date. Maybe I can tell him then.”

 

“Tae,” Jimin begins, letting his hands fall into his lap where he curls his fingers together. Taehyung can tell he’s contemplating his next words carefully. “I don’t think he’d be ready to hear it. Let him come to terms with what’s happening, if he wants something more too. . . But it was good, right? The kiss? You feel compatible with him?”

 

“God, when am I supposed to tell him?” Taehyung’s frustrated, staring up at the ceiling with a groan. But he relaxes when Jimin brings up the kiss. “Yeah, yeah, it was good. I’m telling you, Chim, there was some sort of  _ connection  _ before we kissed.”

 

He absently runs his fingers over his lips. “I wanna kiss him again.” He’s too busy staring up at the ceiling to see the fond smile that plays over Jimin’s lips.

 

“So tell him that.”

 

“But  _ how?” _

 

“Just how you told me.”

 

“I’ll figure it out,” Taehyung mumbles again, folding his arms across his chest. “I hope tomorrow is better.”

 

“It will be,” Jimin reassures him by ruffling his hair affectionately. “Now stop moping. It’s not the end of the world. If you sulk anymore Minseok’s going to come in here and try to mother you to death.”

 

A pout forms on Taehyung’s face as he scoots closer to Jimin, tucking his head into his chest. “You’re  _ already  _ mothering me to death, Chim,” he says, voice muffled by the collar of Jimin’s shirt. “You omega mom.”

 

“You’d rather I was here though, don’t you?”

 

“Yeah, I do. You’re my favorite. But you know that.”

 

“You’re mine, TaeTae,” Jimin’s nose presses into the crown of Taehyung’s hair. “Don’t tell Yoongi.”

 

Taehyung laughs, throwing a leg over Jimin. “Mm, I won’t. He’ll never know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The moment we were waiting for happened, and someone had to ruin it :P With these next few chapters, you'll be seeing more of Taekook's relationship and also more drama, as we're about halfway-ish through this story. :) There are still plenty of chapters to come, so please anticipate more!
> 
> Follow our [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas) to know when we upload the new chapters and also for our other content! <3 Thank you so much for the love so far on the story!


	9. IX

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Against his better judgement, Jeongguk finds himself standing in front of the coffee shop on campus after his second class. He’s fought a hellhound, stood in front of Sunmi and not shit his pants, but knowing that he’ll have to see Taehyung as soon as he steps through the glass door is somehow more terrifying than either of those things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!! 
> 
> This is a short update, probably the shortest you guys will get, but we didn't want to cram all of the information into one. We hope that's okay! 
> 
> Also, something really important:
> 
> I (S) will be going a brief hiatus for about 2 weeks, up until the 23rd, meaning we will probably not be typing up chapters. Therefore, we will probably only update with Ch 10 by the end of next week or even the week after that. :( It's going to be a long wait, but it's also so we can try to catch up afterwards on what we're writing (we're halfway through with writing Ch 12, and posting 10 and 11 so close might cause this story to be updated at longer intervals). L will be active as usual but it takes two to tango.... ;;
> 
> I will try to keep active on Twitter, but updates will be sparse up until the 23rd this month most likely. But this isn't guaranteed! Things could always change. :) But please count on this happening just in case! I'm sorry I'll be gone but I have to :((( 
> 
> We hope you enjoy the chapter!

Jeongguk doesn’t talk about the kiss. If anyone at home notices how flustered he is, no one asks. Not even Seokjin. He probably way overreacted, he tries to reason with himself as he lays in bed, tossing and turning and unable to get comfortable. All he can do is watch the minutes tick by and try not to think about how Taehyung tasted, how the rough glide of his chapped lips had sent shivers down his spine, how much he  _ wanted _ it.

 

This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. He was supposed to stay removed from the situation, not fucking fall for the werewolf pack alpha. Namjoon is going to kill him if he finds out.

 

Naturally, Jeongguk doesn’t get a wink of sleep. He tries to tell himself that he isn’t disappointed when he thumbs on the screen of his phone to turn off his alarm and there’s not a single notification waiting for him. What had he expected? For Taehyung to text him? Not likely after Jeongguk had blown him off like that. 

 

Also, it’s only when Jeongguk is almost done getting dressed, pulling a hoodie over his messy bed head, that he realizes it’s Thursday. He’s supposed to stop by the coffee shop today to see Taehyung, but now he’s not sure if that’s a good idea or not. What would he even say?

 

He’s got to try and keep up appearances. Letting his own feelings get in the way isn’t going to help the mission, and he’ll look like a dumbass in front of everyone if he fucks this up.

 

Twenty minutes before class, Jeongguk is at his desk with his backpack on the tabletop as a make shift pillow. That position doesn’t really change much even after class starts. It’s a big enough classroom that his seat in the back is mostly hidden, not that the professor seems to give a shit about whether or not anyone is paying attention.

 

Jeongguk thinks about Taehyung, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth as he debates texting him. At one point, he’s got their text thread open, the cursor blinking at him as he stares at the little smiley face in the upper left hand corner. 

 

When everyone starts shuffling around to leave, he picks up his head from where he was staring at the phone screen in his lap. Since there aren’t any books to pack away, all he has to do is shoulder his backpack and push out of the classroom with the rest of the students. But as he’s about to round the corner that leads to the exit, there’s a gentle but firm hand on his shoulder. 

 

He twists his head, heart thudding, but it’s only Jimin. 

 

Which still isn’t good.

 

“Hey,” Jimin says, smiling briefly, letting go of Jeongguk’s shoulder and stepping back. “I haven’t seen you all week, and you’re looking as good as I did earlier this week, which is  _ not _ good. What’s wrong?”

 

He knows. Jeongguk can see it in his eyes and something that feels a lot shame makes the muscles of his throat tighten. “Just tired, hyung, you know.” Not a lie, technically. “You were sick or something? Left me on read.”

 

“Ah, yeah, I’m sorry about that. I basically slept all day and night, it was pretty bad.”

 

They’re both lying to each other, but they both know the truth. _ Dramatic irony _ . 

 

Jimin adjusts his backpack on his shoulder. Jeongguk thinks he sees a fading bruise on the side of his throat, but it’s hidden well by the scarf wrapped around his neck. After a moment, Jimin nudges Jeongguk to the side so they’re not in the way. 

 

“. . . Tae told me what happened yesterday.” Jimin seems hesitant to admit it. “Are you. . . okay? Did it not go well?”

 

Fuck. If there was one person that Jeongguk didn’t want to talk to about this —well, Namjoon was probably the first— but Jimin makes the cut at a close second. “What did he tell you?” Playing dumb seems like the best course of action, especially if Jimin isn’t going to be forthcoming about the real reason he was missing in action earlier in the week.

 

“He just told me that you two practiced and that. . . you kissed. But he said he scared you off, and you seemed pretty upset about it. Actually, he’s upset by it too, don’t think he slept at all last night.” Jimin sighs, worry settling across his face. “He’s working, and I think you should go pay him a visit. I’m sure the last thing you want to see is him, nonetheless  _ talk _ to him, but it might make you feel better. I’d hate to see you two avoiding each other over something that can be fixed with a simple conversation.”

 

_ Damnit, Taehyung _ . At this point, everyone else has deserted the hallway, leaving just Jimin and Jeongguk standing there awkwardly. “He didn’t  _ scare _ me,” it’s not much louder than a mumble, and his fingers tighten around the strap of his backpack, “and I wasn’t upset, I just—”  _ It’s just that I’m a hunter and I’m not supposed to be falling for a werewolf. _ “—I have some stuff going on and it just. . . kind of took me by surprise. Not my finest moment.”

 

“Then go talk to him about it. Go to the coffee shop and chat with him, clear the air. You guys can just be friends, or maybe, go out on a date first! That wasn’t Tae’s proudest moment either, trust me.” He leans in, voice quieter. “Don’t let him know I told you this, but he  _ does _ like you. He’s into you. He just got a little too ahead of himself, that’s all. I’m sure you’ll feel better once you talk things out.”

 

He starts buttoning up his coat and adjusting his scarf. “Now, I’ve gotta go, Yoongi caught what I had and I have to buy groceries to make him soup. He only eats the soup that I make, he’s so troublesome, I swear. . .” Jimin pops a beanie over his head with a huff. “But you let me know how things go with Tae, okay?”

 

Under normal circumstances, Jeongguk would probably be over the moon to hear that Taehyung likes him, is  _ into _ him, but instead it just makes his stomach twist. If they were all honest, if Jimin wasn’t pretending that Yoongi was sick, if they all knew who Jeongguk really was, he’s sure this conversation wouldn’t even be happening at all. 

 

“Yea, okay,” he says instead, offering Jimin a small, wane smile. “I’ll go talk to him. I hope Yoongi feels better soon.”

 

“Thanks, Kook. Good luck.” 

 

Jimin offers him one last smile before walking down the hallway and disappearing around the corner. Jeongguk doesn’t move until he hears the building doors close, but even then, he’s not sure what he wants to do. Obviously, the mature thing to do would be to go see Taehyung. He should be able to get a grip on himself, to shelf his feelings and try to salvage what he can of the whole situation. The problem is that even thinking about seeing Taehyung again makes his palms sweaty and his stomach flip.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Against his better judgement, Jeongguk finds himself standing in front of the coffee shop on campus after his second class. He’s fought a hellhound, stood in front of Sunmi and not shit his pants, but knowing that he’ll have to see Taehyung as soon as he steps through the glass door is somehow more terrifying than either of those things.

 

But Jeon Jeongguk is no bitch. He just has to imagine Yezi’s smirking face, how she’d make fun of him for not wanting to go talk to a  _ boy _ , or maybe she’d drag him for not being able to get a grip and finish the surveillance mission that he’d volunteered for, and that’s a big part of what propels him through the front door.

 

The inside of the coffee shop is homey. One of those hipster places that Jeongguk usually wouldn’t be caught dead in. But the coffee is good so there’s been many times that he’s popped in here before or after class. There’s only a couple of students tucked into chairs around the edge of the shop, laptops and books piled around them, and Taehyung is behind the counter. He’s hunched over with his phone in his hands, eyes flicking up as the bell on the door jingles to single Jeongguk’s arrival.

 

When their eyes lock, Taehyung drops his phone on the counter and Jeongguk swallows thickly. Neither of them move for a moment, but then Taehyung stands up, fumbling to put his phone in his pocket. Jeongguk sucks in a breath and squares his shoulders before shuffling towards the counter with his head down, breaking their eye contact on his way over.

 

When Jeongguk is in front of the register, Taehyung smooths his hands down his apron. It’s  _ so awkward. _

 

“U-um. . .” Taehyung begins, tongue flicking out to wet his lips. “Hi.”

 

“Hi.” There’s that feeling of wanting to throw up. “How are you?”

 

There are bags under Taehyung’s eyes, the darkness peeking out from under the thin layer of concealer he must have used to try cover them up. “Not great,” he admits. “What about you? Did you sleep well?”

 

“Not really,” Jeongguk says quietly, hands dug into the front pocket of his hoodie to give them something to do. “I’m. . .” Fuck, how do they make this seem so easy in dramas? It literally feels like his heart is halfway in his throat and he’s half a second away from vomiting it up onto the shiny countertop right in front of Taehyung. “. . . I’m sorry about last night. It wasn’t you or anything you did, I’m just— I have some stuff going on and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”

 

“No, no, it’s alright. I shouldn’t. . . fuck, I shouldn’t have acted that way last night. I’m sorry.” Taehyung is shy, fingers clenched in the fabric of his apron. “I shouldn’t have been so brash, my excitement got the better of me. I want to make it up to you, but I don’t know. . . I don’t know if you want to hang out with me still? Because I fucked up?”

 

“You didn’t fuck up,” Jeongguk can feel himself start to flush. God, this is totally a trainwreck. “It was me. I should have texted you last night or something.”

 

Taehyung sighs. “And I could have done the same thing.”

 

They’re not going to get very far playing the blame game, and they’re quiet again with that realization. Jeongguk glances down, and Taehyung looks at something off to the side. But after that minute of awkward silence, Taehyung opens his mouth, and his words are breathy, as if he has little control over them.

 

“Can I take you out on a date?”

 

That is. . . a terrible idea. Jeongguk can feel it down in his toes. But it still doesn’t stop his heart from doing another little flip where it’s lodged somewhere around his Adam’s apple. “A date?” he echoes dumbly. “Just you and me?”

 

Taehyung blinks, and a chuckle leaves his throat at Jeongguk’s question. “Yeah, that’s what a date is, isn’t it?” He places his hands on the counter. “I wanna. . . make it up to you. I should have taken you on a date first, that’s my fault. It can be just you and me at dinner or a movie or something, without anyone butting in.”

 

This is his chance to salvage this whole mess, but there’s no going back after this. “Yeah,” he settles on saying, knotting his fingers together behind the cotton pocket of his sweatshirt. “I’d like that, Tae.”

 

A heart-shaped grin spreads across Taehyung’s face, his eyes holding that same spark they had last night. “Me too!” he exclaims, face brightening. “Are you free this weekend?”

 

“I think so.” As long as Namjoon doesn’t send him out to deal with anything, that is. “I can let you know for sure when I get home later.”

 

“Yeah, okay. I can see what movies are playing, if you want to do that?”

 

The smile that creeps over Jeongguk’s face isn’t one that he can hide. It’s the kind that shows off his front teeth, makes his nose scrunch up at little bit. “Sure. That’s cool. We can do whatever you want.”

 

Tension in Taehyung’s shoulders melts away. “Okay, I can text you then. Do you want any coffee now? It’ll be on the house, just for you.” The wink he sends Jeongguk shouldn’t have his heart thudding in his throat or his stomach doing flips. Really, it shouldn’t.

 

“You probably give out free coffees all the time,” Jeongguk teases him, feeling lighter than he has since yesterday. “Make me something you think I’ll like.”

 

Slipping away from the counter, Taehyung chuckles. “Mm, only to cuties,” he hums, and that comment makes heat rise to the tops of Jeongguk’s cheeks. “You’ll be in good hands. Just sit back and relax and I’ll make the drink of your dreams.”

 

Taehyung gets to work behind the counter, a bounce in his step. The seats at the little bar area are all open, so he takes the one on the end and sets his bag down between his feet to watch Taehyung make his drink. The alpha moves with confidence, which makes Jeongguk feel  _ a lot _ better. He’s glad Jimin gave him the push to come. 

 

It only takes a few minutes before Taehyung sets the tall plastic cup in front of Jeongguk with a flourish. There’s caramel drizzled all over the inside of the cup and the liquid inside is already mixing together in a smooth gradient of dark to light. The alpha’s smile is dazzling as he pats his hands on his apron, proud of his work.

 

“Iced caramel macchiato, with a little bit of vanilla. Figured you’d like some extra sweetness.” Taehyung rests his elbows on the counter, putting his weight on his hands. “Tell me if you want whipped cream with it, I can grab the can for you.”

 

It already looks enough like dessert that Jeongguk shakes his head and pulls the cup closer, wrapping his lips around the straw to take a little sip. “Wow—“ the flavors blooms across his tongue, the hint of vanilla adds that extra bit of sweetness that he didn’t know he was craving. “This is  _ really _ good, Tae. Thanks.”

 

“I did my best,” the alpha hums, pleased as he watches Jeongguk drink. There’s still a lingering smile on his lips. “If you want something specific next time, I’ll make it for you. It’ll all be free, just keep it a secret.” Taehyung winks, and Jeongguk smiles, besides himself,  standing and hooking his bag back over his shoulder. 

 

“You really think I’m worth a lifetime of free drinks?”

 

“Mhm,” Taehyung agrees. When Jeongguk has his backpack on, he turns back around to grab his drink from the counter. He picks up it up, and the distance is enough for Taehyung to dip forward and peck Jeongguk on the cheek. It’s quick, just a soft press of lips, but long enough that when he inhales, he can smell the lingering scent of Taehyung’s shampoo.

 

“I’ll see you at practice tomorrow,” Taehyung says as he pulls back. Jeongguk wants to chase his mouth with his own, butterflies in his stomach revolting at the easy grin on the werewolf’s face.

 

“See you tomorrow, Tae.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

The entire walk home, Jeongguk can’t stop smiling. This is bad. Really bad. But he can’t really find the energy to tamp down his feelings, especially considering how strung tight he’d been since yesterday. It’s not going to be hard for him to get close now, especially since he can’t deny that he  _ likes _ Taehyung, in spite of the surrounding circumstances.

 

His macchiato is gone just as he’s walking up the driveway to the house, so he sucks hard on the straw to make sure he’s gotten every last drop before he dumps the cup in the recycling bin just to the left of the driveway. That’s when he notices there are two unfamiliar vehicles parked behind Seokjin and Namjoon’s cars. He doesn’t remember anyone telling him that they were going to have guests.

 

As soon as he steps through the front door, the smile drops off of his face. Kwon Jiyong is here, along with Choi Seunghyun and Lee Minhyuk. Jiyong leads the faction of hunters in Daegu, had worked closely with Jeongguk’s father before— Well, if  _ he’s _ here, especially considering what Namjoon said had happened over the weekend, it’s not for a good reason.

 

All three of them look like hunters, dressed in dark, fatigue style clothes, rugged boots on their feet. Jeongguk doesn’t doubt that all of them have weapons in various forms hidden on their bodies. Out of the three of them, Jeongguk probably finds Minhyuk the least intimidating, but he’s seen firsthand how ruthless he can be. 

They’re all gathered in the kitchen area, spilling out into the hallway. Namjoon’s voice filters out of the archway, and Jeongguk tries to close the front door as quietly as he can, hoping to remain undetected.

 

But it doesn’t work very well.

 

Seokjin is the one who spots him, eagle eyes zeroing in on Jeongguk, and all eyes dart in that direction subsequently. Jeongguk tries to duck away, but he’s been caught. 

 

“Ah, Jeongguk,” comes Seokjin’s voice, and while his tone is normal as usual, his smile is tense, shoulders squared from where he sits at the kitchen table. “Didn’t know when you were coming home. Jiyong was just asking about you.”

 

There’s a definitely air of discomfort as Jeongguk gives a little wave and steps closer. Jiyong’s sharp eyed gaze reminds him of a hawk’s and he doesn’t really like having it trained on him. The Daegu hunter’s smile does seem genuine, lips splitting to show off his perfectly white teeth, “Jeongguk-ah, you’re getting so big,” he teases.

 

“You saw me last year, hyung,” Jeongguk reminds him, ducking his head once in Seunghyun and Minhyuk’s direction. “Are you staying for long?”

 

“I know, but kids grow a lot in a year,” Jiyong sighs, his smile fading slightly as he glances at the other hunters with him. “No, actually, we’re just about finished here. Right, Namjoon?”

 

Namjoon stands next to Seokjin in his chair, hand on the armrest. His smile, unlike Jiyong’s, isn’t very genuine. “Yeah, just about. I think we’ve covered everything you need, unless. . .”

 

“No, you’ve answered all our questions.” Seunghyun’s deep baritone voice cuts through, and Namjoon nods his head. There’s the flicker of a smile across Seunghyun’s face, perhaps just for show now that Jeongguk is in the room. Jiyong turns his head back to Jeongguk.

 

“Have you been keeping up with your training, Jeongguk-ah?”

 

Jeongguk hopes the unease doesn’t show on his own face. “Yea. Namjoon hyung’s been letting me do a lot more. I’ll be a full-fledged hunter once I’m done with university. So right now I’m just helping where I can.”

 

“Wonderful. I’m sure your father would be proud.”

 

That comment resonates deep inside Jeongguk, but he doesn’t have the time to dwell on it, because the Daegu hunters start to throw on their coats and Seokjin stands up from his chair. There’s still a stifling thickness in the air that only solidifies Jeongguk’s suspicions that this wasn’t a social visit. 

 

“We’ll be stopping by again I’m sure, thank you for having us. We’ll also be keeping tabs on the situation, so make sure you keep us informed, yes?” A brief flash of a smile appears on Jiyong, and the hunters all nod their heads in a bow before exiting. They pass by Jeongguk, and, to be courteous, he too bows his head when they walk by. 

 

Jiyong murmurs something to Seunghyun when they leave but Jeongguk doesn’t catch what it is. When the door swings shut behind Minhyuk, it leaves the house in an awkward silence. Jeongguk doesn’t know what happened or where the others are.

 

He returns his attention to the kitchen and Namjoon and Seokjin are gathering coffee cups from the table, running fingers through their hair. Namjoon’s wide palm rests comfortably at the small of Seokjin’s back. 

 

“Is everything okay?” Jeongguk asks tentatively as he finally steps all the way into the kitchen. “They’re here because of Yoongi, aren’t they?”

 

There’s the clinking of dishes as they set the cups in the sink. “Yeah,” Seokjin answers, softly. “Jongdae told them specifically that Yoongi was in Seoul, so that’s why they’re here.”

 

Namjoon leans against one of the counters. “They wanted to ask a few more questions, if we’ve seen anything since I visited, do we have any new profiles, stuff like that. I admitted that Yoongi was spotted, but I omitted anything about your mission, including Taehyung and Jimin. Telling them would only make your mission more difficult. We just. . . have to be careful who we talk to from now on. They won’t be on our case unless they find anything suspicious but so far, we’re doing alright.”

 

The problem is that they all know that Jiyong is notoriously good at finding out when people are keeping secrets from him and when he does, the result is almost  _ never  _ good. Jiyong won’t care that Jimin and Taehyung are harmless. All that’s going to matter is that they’re werewolves associated with Min Yoongi. It’s a death sentence.

 

“Fucking Kim Jongdae,” Seokjin swears under his breath. For him to curse like that means he’s definitely feeling stressed. “I thought Hoseok had him under control. What benefit do they have to tell us in secret and then pit the Daegu faction against us? Don’t they have other ways of amusing themselves?”

 

“I feel like they lack communication over there,” Namjoon mutters. “We’ll have to talk with them, unfortunately. Try to keep them on our side.”

 

“We all know demons don’t pick sides,” Seokjin voices bitterly, pushing the sink’s tap on with his elbow so he can begin to wash the dishes and set them out to dry. “Be careful, Jeongguk. You know Jiyong has a way of weaseling information out of people. Just because he was close with your father doesn’t mean you’re out of his sights.”

 

“I know, hyung, I know.” Having Jiyong here definitely complicates things a bit, but if Jeongguk can keep his distance then it should be okay. Maybe they can lead him off track, give false information that Yoongi’s been spotted elsewhere.

 

“Good.” Seokjin begins to wash the dishes and Namjoon helps to dry them. “How was school today? Anything exciting happen?”

 

“No, not really,” Jeongguk decides to leave out anything have to do with Taehyung for now. “Just the same bullshit. Got a test to study for. . . unless there’s anything you need help with?”

 

They both shake their heads. “No, go study,” Namjoon waves him off. “Everyone’s in the basement or upstairs, they cleared out as soon as the hunters walked in. Tonight is a leftovers night, so if you’re hungry, there’s stuff in the fridge.”

 

Relieved that he’ll be done for the day, Jeongguk makes his way to the fridge and looks inside, rummaging around for a covered bowl of black bean noodles to take upstairs. He leaves Namjoon and Seokjin in the kitchen, murmuring amongst themselves as he takes the stairs two at a time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two don't know what they're doing pdjgdfh
> 
> Follow us on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas) so we can both keep you updated on what's happening and what will come next! :)
> 
> See you guys soon! <3


	10. X

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s become a recurring theme for Jeongguk not to tell anyone in the hunter house about where he’s going. Luckily, Sehun and Tao have been too caught up with school and little side missions that they don’t really have energy for much else. Namjoon and Seokjin seem to have their minds preoccupied by the unannounced arrival of Jiyong and his crew. So no one asks when Jeongguk leaves the house Friday evening and walks to the end of the road with his hands shoved into his pockets. But quite frankly, he’d rather keep it this way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have returned from hiatus!!! :D
> 
> We will be running to that finish line trying to end this fic (honestly it's been too long for us, this is like the 4th month now lol) and we will do our best to keep up with the updates!! There are --on estimate-- a little over 5 chapters left we estimate, maybe between 5-7, but we're halfway there! :)
> 
> Please enjoy this update!

 

“Make sure you leave on time to pick him up!”

 

“I know, hyung!”

 

“Don’t be home too late, I’m sure he has a curfew!”   
  


“Okay!”

 

Taehyung’s been yelling down the stairs for the past fifteen minutes now as his hyungs pester him below. They’re shouting all sorts of things to him, but worst of all is Jimin, who is sitting on the edge of his bed with a glass of wine in his hand. He’s already tipsy, because Yoongi isn’t keeping a close eye on his mate, but Jimin is  _ sort of  _ helpful.

 

Keyword: sort of.

 

He throws on a jean jacket over his all-black ensemble, holes in the knees of his jeans. He ruffles his hair in front of his mirror while Jimin sips at his glass of wine, one leg crossed over the other.

 

“I think you need a hat,” he finally offers up, leaning back to press one palm into the bed for support. “Or maybe a bandana. Keep your hair out of your face.”

 

Dropping his hand, Taehyung turns to look at Jimin. “A hat?” He echoes. “I know I need a trim but. . . it’s not that bad?”

 

“Come on, Tae, humor me. I’m mated and you’re not. Let’s see the bandana. The red one.”

 

“What does mating have to do with a bandana?” Taehyung grumbles, but he succumbs, shuffling to his dresser where his pile of bandanas sit. He picks up the red one and brushes back his bangs to put it on, fixing his hair as he walks back over to the mirror.

 

“That good?”

 

Jimin looks very pleased, kicking his one leg up and down. “He’s gonna want to rip your clothes off. I can feel it.”

 

“Oh my god,  _ Jimin,”  _ Taehyung bemoans, shaking his head to fix his bangs before leaving his hair alone. “Stop being so thirsty. Didn’t you just get dicked down for like, 3 days straight?”

 

“Is that  _ jealousy _ I hear? You’re very close to your own rut, Tae, I can smell it.”

 

“It is  _ not  _ jealousy. Just wondering why you’re so suggestive when you got enough dick for the month,” Taehyung mutters. He pats his pockets to double check he has his phone and wallet. “ _ Great _ . A rut is just what I need.”

 

“If tonight goes well, then maybe you can spend part of it with Jeongguk,” Jimin smirks a little from behind the rim of his wine glass. “Must be frustrating only having your hand—“

 

Taehyung snarls, and while not threatening, Jimin zips his mouth with a snide grin. 

 

“Go choke.”

 

“So touchy, TaeTae,” Jimin teases him lightly, but knows to back off. “You look really good. He’ll love it. Where are you taking him?”

 

No longer bristling, Taehyung relaxes. “We’re going out for a movie, and then maybe ice cream or a midnight food run. Nothing extraordinary.”

 

“Cute. You gonna kiss him again?”

 

“Mm, I might. I’d like to. Just don’t wanna scare him off.”

 

“If he came back after the ‘I wanna eat you up’ comment, then I’m pretty sure you won’t scare him off now.” Jimin’s phone pings, so he wrestles it out of his pocket and smiles down at the lit up screen. “You both are so cute. He’s asking me what to wear too.”

 

Taehyung licks his lips. “Well, tell him I’ll be leaving in five minutes, so you’d better hurry and help him.”

 

“Don’t worry. What he’s got on is cute. He’ll be ready and waiting for you~”

 

“Look at you, cupid,” Taehyung snickers, bending over to lace his boots. He stands up and heads for the door. “Don’t stain my bed with wine, hyung. I’ll catch you later.”

 

“Alright~” Comes Jimin’s cheery, singing reply, waggling his fingers at Taehyung on the way out. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

It’s become a recurring theme for Jeongguk not to tell anyone in the hunter house about where he’s going. Luckily, Sehun and Tao have been too caught up with school and little side missions that they don’t really have energy for much else. Namjoon and Seokjin seem to have their minds preoccupied by the unannounced arrival of Jiyong and his crew. So no one asks when Jeongguk leaves the house Friday evening and walks to the end of the road with his hands shoved into his pockets. But quite frankly, he’d rather keep it this way.

 

Jimin had teased him but approved of his outfit choice for the evening. He said that Taehyung would really like it —which shouldn’t matter in the grand scheme of things— but Jeongguk had found himself getting ready specifically with the alpha in mind.

 

He’s a little early to the meet up point. Only by about five minutes or so, but better early than later, even if it mean that he’s got to stand out in the chilly evening weather for a few more moments. He stuffs his hands in his pockets and leans on his toes, back and forth, until he spots Taehyung’s Jeep driving around the corner.

 

Taehyung parks in front of Jeongguk, and pops open the door, hopping out and shuffling to the other side before Jeongguk can. He reaches out to hold open the door for Jeongguk, flashing a bright smile, eyes wandering just the slightest.

 

“After you,” the alpha sings, gently shutting it behind Jeongguk and scurrying back to the driver’s side. 

 

“And everyone says chivalry is dead.”

 

“Then they haven’t been with the right men.”

 

Taehyung’s grin is toothy, shifting into reverse so he can turn and go back down the street he came from. The radio is playing at a quiet volume, and Taehyung’s fingers tap against the wheel as he drives. Since he has to pay attention to the road, it’s easy for Jeongguk to really look at him from the safety of the passenger’s seat and he’s personally offended by how good he looks with his hair held back off his face. Maybe it has something to do with how thick and dark his brows look, or maybe because Jeongguk has only seen him with a bandana on a few times at practice. Either way, it’s a good look.

 

“And let me guess, you’re one of the right ones?”

 

“I’ll leave that up for you to decide after tonight, Jeonggukie.”

 

Squirming, Jeongguk puts his hands between his thighs, palms together. “I guess I will,” he says, managing another look from under his lashes at Taehyung’s profile. “You decided where you’re taking me for food?”

 

“I was thinking of leaving it up to you. If you’re hungry after the movie, then we can go wherever you’d like.” Taehyung glances over and Jeongguk squirms again, wondering if he’s been staring too long. “You don’t have a curfew?”

 

“Hyung,” he huffs in response, “of course I don’t have a curfew. I’m an adult!”

 

Taehyung laughs. “Alright, alright. Minseok was on my ass about it, I told him the same thing. Just double checking.” 

 

Their conversation lulls to Taehyung asking about Jeongguk’s weekend so far, and Jeongguk comfortably complains about essays and more chemistry. To that, as they approach the theater, Taehyung turns his head.

 

“Do you want to come over next Friday after practice again? I can help you with chemistry. You can spend the night again too, if you want.”

 

“You sure?” It would be a good opportunity to really scope out the hanok properly, Jeongguk reasons. And maybe Yoongi won’t be as skeptical of him this time. “That would be awesome. Maybe we can watch a movie or play video games or something after?”

 

“Yeah, we can do something after. I’ve got Overwatch—”

 

“No  _ way _ ! Seriously?”

 

“Yeah! What, is that your favorite game?”

 

“I played a ton over the summer,” Jeongguk babbles, sitting visibly straighter with bright eyes. “I haven’t played alot because of school but I’m sure I could still kick your ass.”

 

Taehyung opens his mouth with a disbelieving laugh as they pull into the parking lot. “Oh,  _ really _ ? Look at you, so confident.”

 

“It’s one of my better qualities,” Jeongguk sticks out his tongue and scrunches up his nose. “I’m also highly competitive, so you better be ready.”

 

“I’ll make sure to practice every day until next Friday. I’ll be ready for the challenge.”

 

Taehyung also sticks his tongue out, throwing the car into park and shutting off the engine. Jeongguk is already opening his door to get out, and Taehyung joins him around the rear of the Jeep. With one click, the Jeep beeps and the headlights dim out. They walk side by side to the theater doors.

 

“I’ve already got our tickets,” Taehyung says, reaching in his pocket to whip out two tickets, handing one over to Jeongguk. “Do you want snacks or anything?”

 

“Weren’t you treating me to dinner after?”

 

“Yeah, you little brat,” Taehyung chuckles. They give their tickets to the ticket taker and walk past. “But I didn’t know if you were a little hungry now.”

 

“Just making sure,” Jeongguk tucks his hands into his pockets as they continue down the hallway. “Dinner  _ and  _ a movie was the deal.”

 

Taehyung turns to Jeongguk, nudging the younger with a playful growl. “You just want me to spoil you! What a  _ bad  _ boy _. _ ”

 

“You’re just lucky I said yes,” Jeongguk shoots back, playfully sticking out his tongue. 

 

It’s almost like none of the awkwardness that had driven them apart ever existed. Jeongguk loves the easy banter between them. Somehow it’s even easier than it is with Jimin, probably a side effect of the steadily growing attraction between them, something that’s too hard to fight. 

 

“Mm, the luckiest,” Taehyung teases with a slight roll of his eyes, but there’s a smile on his face nonetheless. He holds open the theater door for Jeongguk and together they find their seats, plopping down in them, center of the theater. For a moment, their hands brush, and Jeongguk shyly pulls his hand away into his lap, trying his best not to hyperventilate when the lights dim and the previews start. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Are you sure they’re here tonight, Joonie?”

 

“They’re here every Saturday night, trust me.”

 

“What if they’re not?”

 

“They’re here.”

 

Namjoon parks the truck in the dimly lit alleyway next to an inconspicuous brick building in Hongdae. The building is nestled in an area surrounded by clubs and other bars, which is why it doesn’t stand out too much. In addition to that, it’s in a somewhat sketchy area of Hongdae, for good reason; the bar is specifically for supernatural creatures, and humans are typically not allowed. Demons and vampires are the most frequent visitors, but sometimes, the more malevolent and elusive creatures can be found inside. 

 

A passcode is required to enter, but Namjoon knows it. The passcode rotates every night, but with their connections, they had no trouble finding out tonight’s secret word to get in. The only distinguishing feature on the building is the hanging red neon sign jutting out from the brick:  _ Hell  _ in the Chinese characters. Befitting for its guests. 

 

The pair has visited before, but Namjoon has returned more often than Seokjin. Of course, they’re not really welcome there, but as long as they don’t cause trouble then their presence is allowed. 

 

Seokjin fidgets as they approach the front door. The windows to the building are practically nonexistent, black and covered over. Namjoon knocks on the door and a panel slides open, a pair of gleaming eyes staring at them before a voice croaks out, “Password?”

 

“ _ Ab aeterno.  _ We’re here for the demons.”

 

It takes a moment, but the panel shuts and there’s a loud clicking noise before the door opens and they’re lead inside. The hallway is all brick, leading to a set of stairs that lead to the main level, which is technically underground, but they need to go another floor below to reach the demons. The main floor is dark, with red lights and candles, vampires and other creatures sitting at the bar or chatting with one another on the floor. Seokjin moves closer to Namjoon as they walk along the main floor, a path clearing for them as gold eyes and black eyes and red eyes alike stare at them. A couple of beings scowl, a vampire even bares their teeth, but Namjoon nudges aside his trench coat to flash his silver knife and the vampire then backs away.

 

“They’re awfully hostile,” Seokjin murmurs as they descend another flight of stairs, a neon “Sinners Welcome” sign greeting them as it hangs above their heads. This is the demon lair.

 

“That’s because they probably know Jiyong and the others are in Seoul. This hopefully shouldn’t take too long.” Namjoon reaches over to give Seokjin’s hand a comforting squeeze before they step into the demon’s lair.

 

Comfortable chaise lounges and chairs similar to what would be in the VIP section of a top nightclub are scattered around this floor, heavy music playing above. The music isn’t loud, but the bass and dark tempo give an air of mystery to the room. The demon they’re looking for, Jongdae, isn’t here. But the others are.

 

Four females sit on a velvet couch together: Jennie, Jisoo, Rose, and Lisa.  Their eyes dart up when they smell the hunters in the room. Jongin, another demon, is sprawled along a chaise lounge. He’s the incubus in the room, and the smell of his cologne is thick, alluring. Most of the buttons on his black button up are popped open to reveal sun-kissed skin.

 

Hoseok sits in a velvet chair with a glass of whiskey in his hands. He’s wearing a low-neck black shirt and tight pants, a patterned blazer thrown across his shoulders. His pointed shoes are a bright silver and he has one leg crossed over the other in relaxation. He doesn’t seem surprised to see the hunters.

 

“You’ve got balls showing up here,” he says smoothly, rotating his wrist so that the liquor in his cup swirls against the edges. “Especially since I’ve heard that Kwon Jiyong is in town.”

 

Jongin shifts, twisting and leaning forward to brace his arms on his knees. His eyes are black, making the curve of his mouth look sinister. “And you haven’t brought your little trainees with you. Come on, Namjoon, you know we don’t bite unless they ask nicely.”

 

“Cut the bullshit,” Namjoon snaps, eyes focusing on Hoseok. “Where’s Jongdae?”

 

Jennie flips her long hair over her shoulder with a smirk and a sigh. “Probably seducing more humans. Don’t know, don’t care.”

 

Namjoon’s brows furrow. “You know why we’re here, Hoseok. Jongdae is the one who told Jiyong. It’s his fault that Jiyong is here, and maybe if you had that little rat keep his mouth shut, you wouldn’t be upset about this, either.”

 

Hoseok takes a sip from his glass, watching Namjoon very carefully over the curved rim. “I’d watch how you speak, considering where we are,” he warns, “besides, you act like I have any sort of control over Jongdae. Like any of us have control over the rest.”

 

“What, you going to call your hounds on us?” Seokjin speaks up with a snort, crossing his arms over his chest. “We had a deal with you, with  _ all  _ of you. What does Jongdae have to gain by telling the Daegu hunters what’s going on?”

 

“What do you care?” Demons have this annoying habit of answering questions with more questions. “I didn’t think you held any sort of love for Min Yoongi. The rest of those dogs are insignificant at best. Did you  _ lie _ to Jiyong about what information you had?”

 

Namjoon’s jaw visibly tightens. “Jeongguk is infiltrating the pack, and we didn’t want the Daegu hunters finding out or else they’d take over, as they always try to do. So  _ yes,  _ we did lie. And now I’m starting to wonder if you’re lying to us, too.”

 

“Interesting. . .” Hoseok muses. There’s nothing reassuring about the smile that crosses his features. “So you’ve sent little Jeon Jeongguk into a literal den of wolves. Again, a ballsy move, considering his history. Did you tell him the truth about Min Yoongi? Probably not, I’d assume. You’re keeping so many secrets. Wonder when that will blow up in your face.”

 

The younger bristles, but Seokjin places a hand on Namjoon’s lower back. “We haven’t had the room to tell him, not the full story. He’s befriended the wolves without realizing they were wolves, which is why we’ve kept him in his position. I don’t think you have the right to question our motives. Weren’t you the one who lead us to the wolves to begin with? What’s with the sudden change in heart?”

 

It’s Jongin that laughs, shaking his head. “You think we told you that they were in Seoul so that you could  _ befriend _ them? You  _ are _ dense.”

 

Even Jennie lets out a little giggle, covering her rosebud mouth with the palm of her hand. “Aren’t hunters supposed to  _ hunt _ ?”

 

“Joonie, let’s go. They’re not helping,” Seokjin mumbles, tugging on Namjoon’s sleeve. He’s right: this visit was nothing but a waste of time, only frustration. Namjoon’s nostrils flare.

 

“So why did you tell us then? If you wanted to rid of them, the seven of you could easily do the job yourselves.”

 

“Well, that’s just no fun, now is it?”

 

“Ah, so it’s a game to you.”

 

Lisa smirks. “Why of course, darling. Why else are we the superior creatures after so many millennia?”

 

With balled fists, Namjoon turns on his heel and storms to the stairs. The demons chuckle behind them, and Seokjin follows after Namjoon in a flurry.

 

 

* * *

 

 

It’s hard for Jeongguk to concentrate on the movie. He’s hyper aware of everytime Taehyung laughs or leans forward in his seat, and of when their elbows touch on the shared armrest between them. Dinner isn’t much better. Half of the time Jeongguk spends it just watching Taehyung talk animatedly about his favorite parts of the movie, eyes drawn to the curve of the alpha’s cupid’s bow.

 

He’s both relieved and disappointed as their date comes to an end, shuffling his feet on the way back to Taehyung’s Jeep. Just like a gentleman, Taehyung pops open the door for Jeongguk, closing it gently behind him and then climbing into the driver’s seat. He burps, and that makes Jeongguk sort of laugh. 

 

“Wow, I didn’t realize it was almost midnight,” Taehyung whistles when the clock on his dashboard lights up. Their movie was late, but they took longer than expected at dinner. 

 

“You going to be late for your curfew or something?” Jeongguk teases, twisting so that he can buckle himself in.

 

_ “No,”  _ Taehyung scoffs, pulling out of the parking spot. “I just didn’t think we’d be out late. I hope Jimin isn’t passed out in my bed, he was on his second glass of wine before I left.” 

 

Jeongguk’s never seen Jimin drink before, but he can only imagine what he’s like after a few glasses of wine. “Is he really that much of a lightweight after only two glasses?”

 

“Oh, Jimin is  _ the  _ lightweight. Yoongi and I? We can outdrink him easily, no problem. Jimin can only tolerate two glasses or maybe three before he’s all over the place.”

 

“Oh God,” Jeongguk laughs, crossing one of his knees over the other as they pull out onto the main road. “I should’ve known hyung couldn’t hold his alcohol. You should’ve stopped him before you left.”

 

“At that point, he wasn’t my problem. He’s Yoongi’s problem. I already had to deal with one brat extra: you.” Taehyung snickers, and Jeongguk slaps his arm, affronted.

 

“You  _ made _ me your problem,” he huffs, pretending to be as offended as possible. “But if you didn’t have a good time and you’d rather only have one brat to deal with, then I guess I don’t have to come over next Friday—”

 

“Actually—” Taehyung cuts him off, thumbs drumming the steering wheel. “I take it back. You’re  _ definitely  _ not a brat. Baekhyun is the only brat,  _ maybe _ Jimin. Totally not you, no way.”

 

Pleased, Jeongguk relaxes into the passenger seat. “No, no, you’ve made your true feelings known.”

 

Where this easy, flirty bantering comes from, he has no idea. It’s a damn miracle that his cheeks aren’t flaming red by now, that he hasn’t stuttered or gotten himself all tongue twisted. 

 

“ _ Jeonggukie, _ ” Taehyung whines, jutting out his lower lip in a pout. “You know I didn’t mean it~”

 

“Don’t say things you don’t mean!” Jeongguk shoots back, trying not to think about how Taehyung looks just like a puppy when he does that. “Makes it seem like you aren’t trustworthy.”

 

“I’m  _ plenty  _ trustworthy,” Taehyung sticks his tongue out. “I have something to tell you anyways, but  _ not _ until you agree to sleep over on Friday. It’s important, you’re gonna wanna know!”

 

Oh? That’s intriguing enough for Jeongguk to solidify his plans to return to the hanok next weekend. But the only thing that he can think of that Taehyung would want to tell him is revealing his true status as a werewolf, but that would be foolish!

 

Wouldn’t it?

 

“Hah,” Jeongguk tries not to let any of the trepidation he’s feeling creep into his voice. “One date and you’re gonna start spilling your dark secrets?”

 

“Mm, who said it was a secret?”

 

Okay, maybe he’s just jumping to conclusions. Guilty conscience, perhaps? “Just a hunch.”

 

“Ah, always taking things seriously,” Taehyung chuckles. Jeongguk hadn’t even realized they were so close to his house; there’s something inside him that doesn’t want the date to end, especially as they near home. 

 

Instead of bantering anymore, Jeongguk quiets as the Jeep comes to a stop at the usual spot at the top of his street. “This was. . . really nice. Thanks for tonight, Tae.”

 

Sobered up, Taehyung parks the car, turning down the radio. He drops one of his hands from the steering wheel. “I had a fun time too, I’m glad you liked it,” Taehyung replies with a soft smile, leaning across Jeongguk for the door. He lifts up from the seat to do so, fingers around the handle. Jeongguk can’t sit back enough, their faces just inches apart. There’s the barest hint of stubble coming in on his upper lip and chin, and Jeongguk finds himself transfixed by the little mole on the very tip of Taehyung’s nose. He waits, breathlessly, for Taehyung to pull the handle, for the interior light to come on and break the spell, but it never comes. 

 

Instead, Taehyung’s lips press against his, and Jeongguk finds himself kissing Taehyung back without much thought. His heart rate skyrockets, especially hearing the ragged intake of breath Taehyung takes through his nose as he shifts for a better position, moving his hand from the door to press into the passenger seat right next to Jeongguk’s hip. 

 

Unlike last time, he welcomes the feeling of being caged in, tilting his head so that their noses brush and their mouths slot back together in a way that makes something warm and heavy settle in the pit of his stomach. Taehyung groans, voice husky, tongue sweeping across Jeongguk’s lips. And Jeongguk parts them, moaning softly as their mouths move together in a dance, Taehyung cautiously taking the lead. 

 

Right now, Jeongguk doesn’t give one flying fuck that Taehyung is a werewolf. All he cares about is pulling him closer, fumbling to release the catch on his seatbelt so he isn’t trapped by it. Taehyung’s teeth catch on his lower lip as he pulls away, pulling a low groan right out of Jeongguk’s chest. Taehyung presses a kiss to Jeongguk’s lips once more, gentler, but his nails are digging into the edge of the seat and his eyes flicker gold.

 

Their foreheads bump momentarily before Taehyung draws back to give Jeongguk space. Not much space, but just enough for them to want more. 

 

“So. . . see you at practice?” Taehyung mumbles, his voice shy now, but still husky. 

 

Jeongguk feels drunk, blinking several times to focus his vision and hoping that he isn’t breathing as heavy as he thinks he is. “Yea. . . practice. I’ll be there.”

 

This time, Taehyung opens the door, the interior lights popping up. The alpha smiles, fingers brushing over Jeongguk’s arm. “Goodnight, Kook. Thanks for the date.”

 

“Night, Tae,” Jeongguk manages to say before he slides out of the passenger’s seat, shoes making contact with the pavement. “Drive home safe.”

 

“Mhm, sleep well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the support during our little hiatus! Please leave comments below, they really do help us keep going! Also, follow our [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas) if you haven't already! <3
> 
> Be hyped for the next chapter, it has smut ;)))))))


	11. XI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It still startles him when he looks up, past the pile of Taehyung’s clothes, right into the golden eyes of a very large, brown wolf. There’s no mistaking those eyes. Jeongguk’s seen them enough times to know that this is Taehyung standing in front of him. What shocks him even more is how beautiful Taehyung’s wolf is, how he thought seeing him like this might ruin everything they’d built together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys were so patient so here you go, the moment everyone's been waiting for! The reveal and also the smut ;))))
> 
> Enjoy~

It’s just another Friday morning in the kitchen, members of the pack sitting at the island eating breakfast before school or work. This time, Yixing cooked breakfast: congee, dumplings, eggs, and fried bread are laid out on the counters and the kitchen island. It’s always a treat when he cooks because everyone is full and happy when they start their mornings. 

 

Fridays are usually the busiest. Minseok and Luhan have dance classes to teach in the morning, so they’re dressed in sweats with cups of coffee in their hands, and the others except for Yoongi are busy getting ready for school. They all linger in the kitchen, Taehyung at the island with Jimin across from him, both chowing down on dumplings before they leave for class. 

 

Luhan packs a few snacks for him and Minseok and Baekhyun works on washing some of the dishes as they come through. Yesterday, they had cleaned the hanok a bit because Jeongguk was coming over again. Minseok made everyone clean their rooms, especially Taehyung, considering they would study in there. They plan on cooking again tonight and are looking forward to Jeongguk’s arrival, but there’s one thing Taehyung hasn’t told them.

 

“So, uh. . .” Taehyung clears his throat, setting down his cup of freshly-brewed oolong tea. “I already talked to Minseok and Jimin about this, but. . . I’m thinking about telling Jeongguk about me, about us, tonight.”

 

He watches everyone’s facial expressions carefully. Something like this is a big deal. It could put the pack in jeopardy, to expose their true identity to a human. But in some cases —like Jimin’s— it could be something that pays off in the end, and Taehyung is almost sure that it will.

 

The only person that doesn’t look excited about the prospect of letting Jeongguk in on their secret is Yoongi. The older alpha’s gaze narrows from his position at the other end of the island, lips pressed into a thin line. Frankly, Taehyung’s been anticipating butting heads with him over this decision, but in the end  _ he’s _ the pack’s alpha and he hopes that this doesn’t end up being something that he needs to pull rank for.

 

“You think that’s wise?” Yoongi asks, but it sort of sounds like a challenge. If their pack still followed the old ways, wolves could be torn apart for speaking to their pack alpha like that. “You barely know the kid.”

 

Taehyung’s brows pinch. “That didn’t stop you from telling Jimin.”

 

Poor Jimin looks torn, shooting Taehyung an apologetic glance, but it’s clear that he doesn’t want to speak up against his mate. “You know Yoongi’s just cautious,” he says diplomatically, spearing a bit of egg with his chopsticks. “Especially with the increased hunter activity lately.”

 

With a rumble, Taehyung sets his chopsticks down on the table. “So what is Yoongi hyung insinuating, then?” His eyes flash over to Yoongi. “It’s better to tell him now than to wait, isn’t it?”

 

“I’m not  _ insinuating _ anything,” Yoongi scoffs, not afraid to meet Taehyung’s gaze. “I’m telling you that I don’t think it’s a good idea. I think you’re hormonal —we can all smell your pre-rut— and I know you like this kid, but don’t make decisions with your damn knot.”

 

“I can make decisions just fine,” Taehyung snaps, and the sharp tone in his voice has Baekhyun dropping one of the plates into the sink with a  _ clink.  _ “My rut has nothing to do with my decision to tell Jeongguk. Don’t you think he’s suspicious already with the fact that Jimin was gone for nearly a week because of  _ your  _ rut and that I’m going to be gone for that same time next week? How are we supposed to explain that to him?”

 

The tension in the kitchen’s slowly creeps up, but no one wants to jump in between the alphas. After a few long seconds, Yoongi shrugs one of his shoulders, being the first one to look away. “Just voicing my opinion, Taehyung. Think you’re moving fast, that’s all. You know we’re trying to stay under the radar here and yet here you are, wanting to blow our cover with some kid you’ve known for a month. But it’s not my choice, you’re gonna do whatever you want anyway.”

 

“You blew our cover with Jimin, and we’re all safe and happy.” Taehyung stands up abruptly, stool scraping along the floor. He doesn’t bother picking his plate up. “Quit being so fucking defensive. I deserve to be happy for once.”

 

With that being said, Taehyung storms out of the kitchen with his car keys, leaving the kitchen in silence.

 

Minseok is the first person to move, stepping over to collect Taehyung’s plate from the island with a sigh. “Go on, Jimin. You both have class. Make sure Tae has his backpack, yea?”

 

Quietly, Jimin stands, double checking that he has his phone. He walks around the island to run his hand over Yoongi’s shoulder, kissing him gently on the cheek. “I’m taking you out tonight, okay?” He pecks him again. “I’ll dress when we get home.”

 

That’s the cue for almost everyone else to start getting ready to leave the hanok, piling dishes in the sink as Minseok rinses them off and sets them on the dish rack to dry. Yoongi’s the last one still sitting at the island. “Yoongi,” he starts gently, wiping his hands off on the dish towel by the sink, “you know Taehyung wouldn’t do something like this lightly. He’s sacrificed a lot for this pack. The least we can do is be supportive of his decisions. I was wary of bringing Jimin into our world at first, but Taehyung insisted that you deserved something good in your life when you decided to try and make a fresh start when we all left Daegu. Just. . . remember that.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

All through dance practice, Taehyung seems a little on edge and not at all as happy and carefree as he’s been the rest of the week. When he’d brushed off Jeongguk’s concerned questions at the beginning of practice, he just decided not to pry anymore unless Taehyung chose to open up to him instead. It’s mildly unsettling, because he hasn’t really seen Taehyung agitated like this. Something pack related maybe? Had something happened that Jeongguk should try to figure out?

 

During the cool down, Jimin is able to make Taehyung laugh a little and by the time the three of them are making their way outside, he seems a lot more like his usual bright self. Jimin’s a few paces in front of them both, talking every animatedly about something that Jeongguk isn’t even focused on. He’s too busy staring down where his hand almost brushes Taehyung’s, working up the courage to shyly entwine their fingers together.

 

If Taehyung is surprised, he doesn’t show it. Instead, he glances over at Jeongguk with a smile, rubbing his thumb along Jeongguk’s knuckles. 

 

“Dinner will be ready when we get home,” Taehyung says, digging out his car keys from his pocket. “Are you hungry?”

 

“Starving,” Jeongguk replies enthusiastically. “Minseok is cooking again?”

 

“Mm, I think Yixing. He made breakfast for us this morning, it’s always a treat when he cooks dinner for us.” Taehyung unlocks the car and they reluctantly let go of each other, and Jeongguk takes it upon himself to climb into the backseat of the Jeep, Jimin in the passenger’s seat. 

 

“Yixing’s food is  _ so _ good,” Jimin hums, peering at Jeongguk through the mirror. “Yoongi and I are going out tonight, so save us some leftovers, yeah? Don’t let Tae eat everything, he’s a pig.”

 

“I am  _ not _ a pig!”

 

“He’s kind of a pig,” Jeongguk agrees, whispering even though he knows Taehyung will be able to hear him clearly. 

 

“ _ God _ , you ass,” Taehyung bemoans, throwing the care in reverse. Jimin laughs, and so does Jeongguk. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Jimin was right. Yixing’s food is  _ delicious _ . Jeongguk feels more at home this time, sitting around the dining room table with the rest of the pack —sans Jimin and Yoongi, who slipped out for their own date shortly after they’d gotten home.

 

There’s an air of . . . anticipation that blankets the atmosphere, but Jeongguk can’t figure out what it’s for. Minseok and Luhan are kind and accommodating as always, and even Baekhyun seems to be on his best behavior. Yixing makes attempts to include Jeongguk in the conversations, and Jeongguk finds he likes the Chinese boy’s soft, accented voice a lot.

 

If he really hones in on everyone’s body language, they can’t seem to keep their eyes flickering from Taehyung to himself and then back again. He’s not sure why, but maybe it has something to do with what Taehyung wants to tell him. 

 

“Do you want dessert, Jeongguk-ah?” Yixing asks, standing up from the table to grab everyone’s plates when they’re finished.

 

“We’ve got some good mango ice cream and green tea ice cream,” Taehyung smiles, nudging Jeongguk. 

 

Leaning back in his chair with a groan, Jeongguk rubs his very full stomach with one hand. “I don’t know if I can eat anymore. Everything was so good.”

 

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

 

The pack stands up from the table, doing their duties in cleaning the kitchen and packing up the leftovers. Luhan is the one who washes dishes this time. Taehyung helps pile leftovers into containers before he pulls out a container of ice cream from the freezer. He scoops mango and green tea ice cream into two bowls, handing one to Jeongguk, although he said he was full. 

 

“If you don’t eat it, I will,” Taehyung winks, and directs Jeongguk past the kitchen to the sliding doors in back. “Let’s head outside. It’s still nice out.”

 

The ice cream is good too, Jeongguk finds as he sneaks a spoonful while he follows Taehyung out into the hanok’s courtyard. He’d only seen it through the windows last time, and it’s even prettier now that he’s standing in it himself. There’s a slight breeze that rustles the trees around them, but it isn’t cold enough to make Jeongguk shiver at all. In front of them is a clear entrance to the forest, other greenery surrounding the U-shaped hanok’s center.

 

There’s a table and a set of two chairs just off the balcony and Taehyung leads him down there. He slides into one of the chairs and swallows some ice cream. 

 

“Still up for Overwatch later?”

 

“You’re so on,” Jeongguk challenges, sinking into the other chair with his left leg tucked up under his body. He’s trying to store away information about vantage points and points of access, things that Namjoon might want to know later on. . . but right now he’s more occupied with how the moonlight hits the curve of Taehyung’s cheek and makes him glow. “Hope you’re ready to get your ass kicked.”

 

“So confident,” Taehyung mumbles, the metal spoon clicking against his teeth as he swallows one of his last bites of ice cream. “You sure you’ll beat me?”

 

“Pretty sure. Bet my rank is higher.”

 

“We’ll see about that.”

 

There’s a moment of silence as they enjoy their ice cream. Taehyung clears his bowl and sets it down on the table, leaning back. He seems hesitant, fiddling with his fingers.

 

“Can I. . . tell you something?”

 

Jeongguk’s bowl stays in his lap but it’s empty. “Ah, right,” he teases, trying to lessen the sudden tension, “this is where you tell me your deepest, darkest secret, right?”

 

Taehyung slowly stands up from the table, managing a dry chuckle. “I  _ guess  _ you can call it a secret.” He reaches for his jacket and shrugs it off, then surprisingly, his t-shirt. “You just. . . have to trust me on this, okay? I need to show you something. I’m going to take off my clothes and if you don’t wanna look then just. . . turn around or close your eyes.”

 

Realization hits Jeongguk like a bolt of lightning, freezing him in place with his fingers clenched tightly around his empty bowl as he watches Taehyung reach for the fastenings of his pants. There’s only one reason Jeongguk can think of for why he’d be getting undressed like this and that’s. . . Holy shit. He’s going to shift.

 

It’s slow and cautious, but Taehyung steps out of his jeans and sets them aside. He takes the liberty to turn around, muscles in his back contracting as he fiddles with the spandex of his underwear. “Are you going to keep your eyes open, then?”

 

“I— what are you doing?” A part of him wants to watch, but when Taehyung hooks his fingers into the waistband of his underwear and pulls it down over the curve of his ass, Jeongguk immediately looks down into the bowl in his lap and tries not to hyperventilate.

 

“Do you trust me?”

 

Oh God. This is it. Jeongguk hopes that he acts surprised enough, swallowing hard before he answers. “Yea, I do.”

 

“Good. Because  _ I _ trust you.”

 

Jeongguk sucks in a breath but doesn’t spare a glance. He stares at his bowl, taking deep breaths, as he hears the sound of bones cracking, the detectable sound of a werewolf shifting. He’s heard it before both in missions and somewhere he will never forget: it’s the sound he heard before his father was killed. 

 

It still startles him when he looks up, past the pile of Taehyung’s clothes, right into the golden eyes of a very large, brown wolf. There’s no mistaking those eyes. Jeongguk’s seen them enough times to know that this is Taehyung standing in front of him. What shocks him even more is how beautiful Taehyung’s wolf is, how he thought seeing him like this might ruin everything they’d built together. 

 

“T-Tae?” he doesn’t have to fake his voice cracking, because there’s this huge, irrational part of himself that’s terrified Taehyung will lunge at him, tear his throat out with his teeth and he doesn’t have anything to defend himself with—

 

Taehyung ducks his head, low enough that his muzzle is on his paws, tail wagging back and forth. Of course he can’t talk to Jeongguk, but his body language is enough for Jeongguk to know that he’s not going to be attacked. Neither of them move from their spot. Briefly, Taehyung lifts his head to  _ bark  _ at Jeongguk and wag his tail some more. 

 

The sight is funny enough that Jeongguk laughs. It’s more of a nervous giggle than anything else, but it helps break the initial shock. With every movement that Taehyung makes, Jeongguk watches the moonlight glint off the different colors of his pelt: all varying shades of cream and light brown. But it’s the striking gold of his eyes that keep Jeongguk rooted in place. 

 

Taehyung doesn’t move until he knows Jeongguk is comfortable enough. He’s mindful as he approaches, his head angled down, until he’s just an arm’s length away from Jeongguk. He’s almost as large as Jeongguk sitting down, level with his shoulders if he were to pick his head up. 

 

“This is—“ Jeongguk trips over his words again, trying to think of how someone would react if they didn’t know werewolves existed. “How are you— This is  _ crazy. _ ”

 

Rumbling in his throat, Taehyung inches forward to nudge his nose against Jeongguk’s hand, wet tongue licking over his knuckles as a sign of affection. Even though it feels a little silly, Jeongguk scratches him under the chin, eyes wide as Taehyung’s ears fold back against his head in contentment. “You’re just a big puppy, aren’t you?”

 

Taehyung barks again, a little gravely, tipping his head to the side as Jeongguk continues to scratch his chin and pet his neck. When he’s had his fill, he nudges Jeongguk’s hand and backs up, motioning for him to follow. He turns around and carefully scoops his pile of clothes into his mouth, ambling up the stairs and waiting for Jeongguk to open the back door so they can go inside.

 

It’s strange, Jeongguk thinks, to be willingly walking towards a werewolf without a weapon in his hands. When he takes a little too long making it to the back door, Taehyung bops the door handle with his nose and whines. “Guess paws make it hard to open doors, huh?” Jeongguk teases him, cradling the empty icecream bowl to his chest with one hand so he can twist open the door knob with his other. 

 

Most of the lights inside the house have been turned off, but Taehyung slips inside without a sound, immediately heading for the stairs that lead up to his bedroom. There’s a soft light on in the kitchen, so instead of following Taehyung right away, he sets his bowl in the sink and fills it with water to soak.

 

The light’s on and streaming out of Taehyung’s open door by the time he makes it upstairs. The pile of clothes sit just off to the side, and Jeongguk opens his mouth to call out but the en suite bathroom door swings open, revealing a very human Taehyung with a robe slung over his shoulders and tied shut loosely around his waist. His hair is a little messy, and his eyes still have a golden tinge when he looks up and flashes a dazzling smile at Jeongguk.

 

“I  _ am  _ just a big puppy,” Taehyung laughs, walking over to the bed. The collar of his robe is distracting, revealing his tan skin and sharp collarbones. “I love getting scratched under my chin and cuddled.”

 

Jeongguk stays where he is, just a few paces inside the bedroom, hands twisted together in front of himself. Maybe he should be acting a little more freaked out by the revelation that Taehyung can change into a wolf at will? “You don’t bite, right?”

 

“If you mean as a wolf then no, I won’t bite you. But as a human? Only if you ask nicely.”

 

Taehyung’s grin is toothy, but he flops on the bed and turns to face Jeongguk, propping himself on one arm. “I’m sure you have questions, though. Not everyone handles it as well as you. . .” He traces a pattern on the fur blankets. “What do you wanna know?”

 

Any question Jeongguk can think about asking, he already knows the answer to. Or at least, he knows the things that hunters have been taught about werewolves, their biology, their behavior. “Are the others. . . like you?”

 

“Yeah, they’re all like me. Jimin was human. . . up until last year. Yoongi was the one who turned him, and I’m sure you see that weird mark on his shoulder.” Taehyung reaches up to point at his own shoulder, although nothing is there. “Werewolves mate. It’s the same as human marriage but it’s more. . . spiritual? We connect with our mate, can sense their emotions and whatnot. It’s a very serious concept, because we take a mate for life. Breaking a mating bond can be fatal, or can destroy one or both members in nearly every aspect and leave them as a shell of their former self. It’s extremely difficult to bounce back from a broken bond. Luhan and Minseok are mated, and so are Jimin and Yoongi.”

 

Mating is something that hunters really didn’t seem to care too much about. Jeongguk had no idea the bond was so strong, or that it held so much significance. 

 

“You’re not mated?” Which, granted, is a dumb question, but Jeongguk asks it anyway.

 

Taehyung chuckles. “No, of course not. You wouldn’t be here if I were mated.” 

 

Jeongguk’s cheeks flare up at the embarrassment, but Taehyung coos at him in reassurance. “We have different ranks in the pack. Alpha, beta, omega, you might have heard of them in different context. I’m an alpha, which is the highest rank, but I’m also leader of the pack. We’re usually the ones in charge and we’re the most dominant, while betas are just sort of your everyday person, like Yixing. Then there are omegas, the lowest rank, who used to be thought of as objects used for reproduction, but now things have changed. They’re still lower ranked, but they’re never the leaders of a pack and they can be compared to human women, I suppose. Baekhyun is an omega. We consider Jimin an omega just because he smells like one, but don’t tell him I said that. He’d kill us.”

 

“Have you all been together for a long time?”

 

“Almost all of us are from Daegu and moved here a couple years ago. Jimin is the exception, we’ve only known him for 2 years.”

 

“So, then why are you telling me all of this?”

 

“Because I like you.” Taehyung sits up. “And I trust you. You deserve to know, because people. . . people don’t know what to think when they find out who we are, who  _ I  _ am, and they get scared. I’d rather tell you now than have you finding out later and getting upset. I’ll better handle rejection now as opposed to weeks or months away.”

 

This is Jeongguk’s out. He could tell Taehyung that this is a dealbreaker. It’s probably the smartest move. He could tell Namjoon it was too much to handle, and maybe he’d be able to throw Jiyong off the pack’s trail. “Has this happened to you before? You opened up to someone and they just. . . left?”

 

Taehyung seems shy now, tracing absentmindedly on the blanket. “It’s happened more times than I’d like, yeah. . . the thought that humans aren’t the only creatures out there scare them, I guess. If they think werewolves are the worst, they haven’t seen what vampires or ghouls or demons are capable of. We’re just trying to live a peaceful life as what we are, because we’re more human than people think. I look and act as human as you. But after I reveal this, people are confused, and don’t want in on our life. So far, Jimin has been the only exception.”

 

“That’s. . .” Awful, he wants to say. But really, is how he felt at first any different? “I’m sorry. I haven’t run away screaming yet, right? That’s got to count for something.”

 

“No, you haven’t.” Taehyung smiles. “But what are your thoughts? Are you. . . okay with what I am? You’re making me nervous, standing all the way over there. C’mere.”

 

Without answering, Jeongguk takes a few more steps until he reaches the edge of the bed. Something ugly and heavy weighs him down, making his movements sluggish as he hoists himself up. It’s too late to back out now, but he feels guilty that Taehyung has laid out this big secret and Jeongguk. . . he’s still lying, hiding away a part of himself. And Taehyung’s right, it would be better if they both knew everything now, because it’s only going to hurt worse later—

 

“I don’t really know what to think,” he finally says once he’s settled in the blankets. “Sure, it’s a little scary but it doesn’t make me think any less of you. You’re still the same person.”

 

Any tension in Taehyung’s body melts away, a smile crossing his lips. He scoots closer to Jeongguk, one shoulder of his robe beginning to slip from the movement. “You don’t have to tell me what you think if you don’t know. That’s okay. We’re still going to act the same as always around you, just with the knowledge that you know who we are. As long as you think I’m still the same person, that’s all I can ask for.”

 

Jeongguk holds his breath. His fingertips curl into the fur draped over the edge of the bed. “Did you think I was going to run?”

 

“Maybe, yeah,” Taehyung mumbles. “Other people have, and it’s not fair for me to think that you’d run too, but. . . I just wasn’t sure. I’m glad you didn’t, or, haven’t yet.”

 

He can see the vulnerability that still lingers in Taehyung’s eyes and can’t imagine how much it took for him to open up like this. “Well, I’m not like everyone else. I want to stay.”

 

There’s a flicker in Taehyung’s expression, and he leans in, as if to better examine Jeongguk’s honesty. “You do?” He breathes in, and the warmth of cinnamon and pine invades Jeongguk’s senses.

 

Something pulls them closer still, like there’s a string tightening between their bodies. Jeongguk would say that his hand doesn’t shake when he reaches out and settles it where Taehyung’s neck curves to meet his shoulder, but it does. “Yea,” he exhales, feeling the warmth of Taehyung’s breath ghosting across his lips. “I do.”

 

Kissing Taehyung gets easier every time, so much so that Jeongguk doesn’t even realize that he’s the one that surges forward and closes the space between their mouths until after it’s happened. A little noise comes from Taehyung’s mouth, but it takes him less than a second to reciprocate. As if falling into a groove, Taehyung reaches out to cup Jeongguk’s cheek with one hand, pressing back against Jeongguk’s mouth without much pressure. But gradually, the longer they kiss, the deeper it becomes.

 

Taehyung falls further into his headspace, pulling Jeongguk closer and sweeping his tongue across his lips. His sharp canines dig into Jeongguk’s plush lower lip and Jeongguk whines quietly, parting his mouth and tightening his grip around Taehyung’s shoulder. He’s never really considered himself submissive but there’s something commanding in the way that Taehyung  _ takes _ , something that makes Jeongguk’s belly pull tight with want when he presses him down in the furs and slots a thigh between his legs. Somewhere in the fray, Jeongguk slides what he can of Taehyung’s robe off his shoulders, fingers following the split of the center seam until they come to rest on the half undone knot that still holds the fabric together.

 

Taehyung groans at the sudden switch, the robe sleeves now fallen down past his shoulders, in danger of sliding off his arms completely. He watches closely when Jeongguk’s fingers stop at the last bit of fabric keeping him decent.The tinge of gold lingers in his eyes. 

 

Instead of waiting for Jeongguk, Taehyung abruptly sits up, hands reaching out for him. He grabs hold of the younger’s shirt and proceeds to tug it off, messily kissing him during and after the process. His shirt is tossed aside, forgotten, and the alpha trails a line down Jeongguk’s neck. Jeongguk places his hands around Taehyung’s bare shoulders for stability and can’t bite back the moan that spills from his lips when Taehyung nips with his teeth and sucks a hickey into the junction between his neck and shoulder.

 

Hoping that he moves with a confidence that he doesn’t really feel, Jeongguk tugs at the tie around Taehyung’s waist, pulling it free and tossing it somewhere off the side of the bed. There’s no denying how bad he’s shaking, whether it’s from nerves or desire —probably some combination of both, or maybe it’s from the almost pain of Taehyung mouthing over his skin and pulling it between his teeth with just enough pressure to burst the fragile blood vessels under the surface to leave marks.

 

“Tae—” He even sounds desperate, feels the skin on his face and chest growing warm.

 

Taehyung mumbles something from Jeongguk’s neck, laving over one of the darker love bites. He lifts his head, meeting Jeongguk’s eyes with a pleasured frenzy. 

 

“Tell me no if you need to,” he replies, hands skimming down to Jeongguk’s waist, trailing flat over his toned abdomen before tugging on the front of Jeongguk’s jeans. “On your back.”

 

Oh.

 

All the heat in Jeongguk’s body pools between his legs, lips parted to draw in breath after ragged breath as he struggles to readjust. “I want you,” he assures Taehyung, pulling the alpha on top of him when his head hits the pillows. “Don’t stop.”

 

“God, I won’t,” Taehyung groans heavily, tugging on Jeongguk’s lower lip as his deft fingers pop open the button of Jeongguk’s jeans. There’s the slide of the zipper and then he’s proceeding in tugging Jeongguk’s pants and underwear off his hips as his mouth trails down Jeongguk’s body. “I’ll keep going as long as you want.”

 

Jeongguk’s back arches up when Taehyung runs his tongue over his chest, teeth scraping against his nipple before he does the same to the other. Out of sensitivity, Jeongguk whines loudly, hips wriggling out of bodily reaction. It’s enough leverage for Taehyung to strip him of the rest of his clothes, and a warmth rises to Jeongguk’s cheeks. 

 

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous,” Taehyung exhales, dragging his fingers from Jeongguk’s chest down to his muscular thighs, causing Jeongguk to moan and twitch at the sensation.

 

He can’t help but press his legs as close together as possible, throwing one arm over his face to hide himself from the alpha’s heavy stare. But he doesn’t have to look to know exactly where Taehyung touches him, branding him with his mouth and the tips of his fingers. A small noise of protest escapes his mouth as Taehyung forces his knees open with steady, gentle pressure.

 

Taehyung’s fingers curl around his cock, his hips twitching off the mattress, peeking over his arm at the alpha as he strokes him base to tip. Even Taehyung is semi-hard, and with only a glimpse, Jeongguk’s mouth waters and his head flops back against the bed. The touch is all too short, because Taehyung’s hands switch to his waist and with one quick movement, Taehyung flips Jeongguk around on his stomach and smooths his hands down Jeongguk’s tiny waist. 

 

“I wanna eat you out,” Taehyung states, dragging his nails over the curve of Jeongguk’s ass. “Can I?”

 

The arch in Jeongguk’s back deepens and he wants to bury his face into the pillow beneath him. “Y-Yea,” he chokes out, trying to relax the muscles in his thighs as Taehyung spreads him wide. He hooks his hands into the pillow in front of him and sucks in a breath when Taehyung runs a finger over his perineum, teasing him before he lowers himself down on the bed.

 

Taehyung slides his hands under Jeongguk’s thighs, twisting his wrists to grip the back of Jeongguk’s thighs to hold him there. It still catches Jeongguk off guard when there’s a wetness against him, no doubt the flat of Taehyung’s tongue. His body tenses, hips angling forward, but Taehyung has the ultimate  _ control  _ from how he’s holding Jeongguk and how he’s just drawn back against Taehyung’s tongue as it prods against his rim. 

 

“O-Oh  _ fuck _ —“ Jeongguk jerks in Taehyung’s hold, panting and meeting every long, wet lick with a rock of his hips. It certainly doesn’t take long for Taehyung to work him up, taking his time and making sure the slide is easy enough that when he  _ finally _ presses his tongue inside, Jeongguk almost loses it. “Tae, please,  _ god—“ _

 

Taehyung angles his head and uses his hands to spread Jeongguk a little wider, pulling Jeongguk closer as his nose becomes flush with Jeongguk’s ass. He thrusts his tongue, spearing Jeongguk open. It’s starting to become messy, the added saliva creating these erotic noises every time Taehyung thrust his tongue in, and Jeongguk feels dizzy. He continues until Jeongguk is stretched enough for the addition of a finger. 

 

Sliding one hand away from Jeongguk’s thighs, he adjust that hand and pulls back slightly, sliding in his tongue and finger simultaneously, other hand helping to prop Jeongguk up for a better angle. Jeongguk’s so hard, hips rutting forward for the friction of the material. The slide’s too rough, borderlines painful, but he feels helpless as he pants and writhes into the bed. 

 

Every time he tries to close his legs, back tight with the tension of keeping quiet, Taehyung bullies them back apart. He’s relentless, passionate, seems spurred on by the little noises that do escape Jeongguk’s throat. “ _ Hyung _ ,” Jeongguk whines, making a soft, desperate noise as Taehyung slides home a second finger. “Y-You’re so—“

 

Unable to eat Jeongguk out anymore, Taehyung nips at the swell of his ass as he pumps two fingers in Jeongguk, crooking them to find that little sweet spot. “You like that?” He already knows Jeongguk likes it, of course he does. Taehyung rubs his ring finger against Jeongguk’s rim, only teasing him. “Do you want three?”

 

“Yes,” he chokes out, answering both questions at once. “Want  _ you _ , Tae.”

 

He shudders when Taehyung pins him down, one wide palm pressed into his low back. The stretch of a third finger makes his spine go rigid. But Taehyung’s low, soothing voice helps him go pliant as he works him open. 

 

“That’s it, baby, relax,” Taehyung mumbles his praise, ducking his head enough so that he can press loose kisses along Jeongguk’s spine and shoulders, slowly sinking his three fingers in to the knuckle. 

 

Jeongguk stifles his noises in the pillow, especially the keening cry he releases when Taehyung’s long fingers rub right against his prostate, setting off starbursts of white behind his tightly closed eyelids. He doesn’t know where to move his hips, down into the sheets or back on Taehyung’s palm, so instead his fingertips twist into the sheets underneath him so tightly that the threads groan in protest. 

 

“You gonna cum?”  

 

There’s no way Jeongguk can make any sort of coherent answer. It takes a moment for him to realize the little gasping mewls that seem so loud in the quiet space of Taehyung’s bedroom are coming from his own mouth. The space between his ears feels like it’s filled with cotton, his tongue dry and a searing heat crawling into the pit of his stomach, twisting and tightening with every slow crook of Taehyung’s fingers. 

 

Taehyung continues, other hand angling Jeongguk's hips so he can slide a hand between his abdomen and the sheets. Jeongguk jerks when Taehyung wraps his hand around his hard cock, precum welling from the tip. In tandem with pumping his fingers, he strokes Jeongguk with long, slow pumps of his wrist. There's a determination in his voice, low growl in his throat.

 

“C’mon, I know you can, baby.”

 

He comes apart in Taehyung’s hands with a breathy, soft cry, a spasm in his belly and tears gathering wet in the corners of his lashes. His skin feels too tight, the rush of heat flaring over his whole body almost too intense and it’s too hard to draw in a breath until Taehyung’s lips press against the notches of his spine. He slows the movement of his fingers, but the sheer overstimulation of it all has Jeongguk writhing and gasping.

 

Begging for mercy’s on the top of his tongue but Taehyung seems to sense that it’s too much, sliding his fingers free. Jeongguk doesn’t like the empty feeling, or the way the sheets stick to his belly from the mess he made. When Taehyung’s warmth disappears, he shivers, tries to get his limbs to cooperate so that he can turn around. 

 

Taehyung’s left the bed, currently next to the bed opening his nightstand drawer for lube and condoms. He withdraws a brand new bottle and also a foil packet, shutting the drawer and gazing at Jeongguk with golden eyes, sprawled out on the bed with the fur blankets bunched around his feet. 

 

“I’ll have to thank Jimin for these later,” Taehyung mumbles as he rejoins Jeongguk on the bed, settling between his legs. He rests one hand on the outside of Jeongguk’s thigh, tearing open the foil packet with his teeth to take out the condom. His fingers twitch from excitement.

 

“Oh god,” Jeongguk murmurs, mortified. “He didn’t.”

 

“Oh, he did.”

 

There’s the flicker of a smile on Taehyung’s mouth, even as he’s leaning back on his heels and sliding the condom on. Jeongguk’s knees drop open and he finds himself watching, shyly, as Taehyung dribbles lube into his hand and slathers it over his cock. His breathing quickens at the anticipation of what’s next, finding himself compliant as Taehyung gently hooks his legs around his waist. 

 

“Do you still want this?”

 

This was not how this was supposed to go, Jeongguk thinks, when he told Namjoon he would try and get close. Taehyung wasn’t supposed to steal his heart, wasn’t supposed to make him fall this hard. But he’s done trying to tell himself that this is all about the mission now, nodding his head, captivated by the gold of Taehyung’s irises. 

 

“Kiss me,” he says, curling up so he can twine his arms around Taehyung’s neck, pull him down closer even if the stretch pulls in his hamstrings. And it’s easy for Taehyung to give in, lowering his body and resting one hand close to Jeongguk’s head for the kiss. Taehyung kisses him deeply, tilting his head, head of his cock pressing against Jeongguk. 

 

“Taste so sweet,” the alpha breathes against Jeongguk’s mouth, shifting Jeongguk’s legs higher around his waist, until his ankles cross at the small of his back. Taehyung presses wet kisses down Jeongguk’s jaw as he aligns himself with his free hand. “Relax for me, Kook.”

 

Jeongguk tries, but the stretch is still just enough to hurt. With his eyes shut tight, he lets out a pained whimper as soon as Taehyung begins to press inside him. “W-Wait, Tae— just give me a minute.”

 

Immediately, Taehyung stops. His breath hitches above Jeongguk. “Y-yeah, are you ok?” He’s barely made it past Jeongguk’s rim, can feel the clench down when Jeongguk tenses. “I don’t want to hurt you—”

 

“S’fine,” Jeongguk slurs, pressing his heels a little harder into Taehyung’s low back so that he takes another inch. “You’re just— it’s a lot.” He tries sounding calm and collected, but the breathy pitch of his voice gives away how overwhelmed he’s feeling. 

 

It takes them a minute, but Jeongguk finally relaxes enough so that Taehyung slips all the way inside and Jeongguk’s eyes roll back into his head at how  _ full _ he feels, how impossibly  _ deep _ Taehyung is inside him. His spine arches, nails scratching Taehyung’s broad shoulders when he’s snug inside his warm heat. 

 

Taehyung stretches him wide, lips leaving soothing kisses down Jeongguk’s throat. There’s the slight scrape of his teeth over his pulse and Jeongguk shivers. 

 

“Tell me when to move, Kook,” he mumbles, but his voice is restrained, as if he’s trying his best to hold back. He has a firm grip on Jeongguk’s hips. “Want it to feel good.”

 

After making the mistake of looking down,  _ seeing _ where their bodies are connected, Jeongguk draws in a big, hiccuping breath, waits for the twinge of pain in his low back to subside. When he’s ready, the way Taehyung carefully pulls back and pressed forward punches all the air clean out of his lungs. It’s nothing like the few fumbling hook ups he’s had in college so far, not with how his chest pulls tight with emotion when he looks up to see Taehyung’s concerned gaze. 

 

“It’s fine.” He’s scared by the feelings he sees reflected in those golden irises. “Fuck me.”

 

Taehyung’s nostrils flare. For a moment, he’s hesitant; he stares at Jeongguk heavily with his pupils blown, before he pulls Jeongguk forward by his hips and holds him there on his dick. The way he pulls out is slow, dragging against Jeongguk’s walls, before he’s rocking into Jeongguk again. He sits up, away from Jeongguk’s reach, hauling Jeongguk’s hips up at the perfect angle for him to set a pace that isn’t too slow or too fast. It’s just enough for Jeongguk to feel every inch of Taehyung’s thick cock inside him and whine.

 

Tension in his body begins to lessen the more Taehyung picks up the pace. The alpha has a hold on Jeongguk’s muscular thighs now, nails digging into the hard flesh as he pulls Jeongguk to meet his thrusts. 

 

“That feel good?” Taehyung’s voice is gravelly, rough, indicative that there’s still something holding him back. A part of Jeongguk is curious about what Taehyung’s restraining, wants to coax that out of him, but the rational part is telling him to not get too much pleasure out of this. 

 

“I’m not gonna break,” is what Jeongguk settles for saying, a pleasured flush high on his cheekbones and spreading over his chest. “Come  _ on,  _ Tae.”

 

“ _ Jeongguk _ — _ ” _ Taehyung's tone should be considered a warning, hips settling for just rolling against Jeongguk. But the younger doesn't listen. He kicks at the small of Taehyung's back with his heels, and Taehyung regards him with pinched brows. 

 

Jeongguk lets out a surprised groan when Taehyung pulls out, but that turns into something akin to a yelp when Taehyung easily flips him over on his belly. He bounces on the bed once, hands finding purchase in the sheets, twisting his head as Taehyung hauls his lower half up. There's a primal look in Taehyung's gold irises, a raw emotion that makes Jeongguk flare red-hot. 

 

“You want this?” Taehyung's voice has a new tone to it, more dominant than before, rubbing his hard cock over Jeongguk's ass. “Don’t want me to treat you like a fragile thing?”

 

Lust, like a hot stone, drops right behind Jeongguk’s navel and twists. His head drops back between his shoulders, elbows braced firmly in the sheets for leverage so he can rock back, too embarrassed to say anything else. 

 

What sounds like an endearing coo comes from Taehyung's mouth, hands wrapping around Jeongguk's tiny waist to keep him up with the second press in. This time, the slide is easier, and Jeongguk holds back a moan when Taehyung inches out and rocks his hips back in. The alpha has the control, Jeongguk's hips meeting with Taehyung's on every thrust, the pace faster than what had originally been set. He's able to keep himself propped up on elbows and knees, but maybe not for much longer, not with the pleasure coiling tight between his legs.

 

“Fuck, you look so pretty, Kook,” Taehyung praises, running his hands along Jeongguk's chest and sides in admiration. Goosebumps raise up in the trails his fingertips leave. “Feel amazing.”

 

Every snap of Taehyung’s hips gets harder, deeper, punching ragged sounding moans from Jeongguk’s parted lips. All he can do is try to brace himself up, arms shaking under the strain. “Tae—“ he chokes out when his muscles finally give out and he collapses onto his front, pushing the dip of his spine even deeper. 

 

Taehyung’s fingers are holding Jeongguk hard enough that he might bruise, thrusting deep inside Jeongguk until he rubs right against that sweet spot, flashes of white sparking behind the younger’s eyes. Jeongguk cries out into the bed, mumbling incoherently when Taehyung stays pressed up against that spot and folds over, wide palm spread against Jeongguk’s lower back. The pleasure is numbing, with Taehyung so close to his prostate, and he easily concedes and lowers his hips until he’s lying on his belly.

 

The alpha murmurs praise, his arms trailing up until they rest on either side of Jeongguk. He lays his chest over his back, beginning to rock his hips once more into Jeongguk’s pliant body, breathing hot and heavy against Jeongguk’s nape. 

 

“M’close,” Taehyung groans as he grazes his teeth against Jeongguk’s shoulder, laving over his dewy skin with the flat of his tongue. It’s primal, dominant, sends an immense heat to Jeongguk’s belly. The rhythm of his hips becomes more erratic and off tempo before he’s suddenly pulling out, leaving Jeongguk empty, hole clenching around nothing. He knows better than to whimper and mewl at the loss, but he can’t help it when the noises tumble from his mouth.

 

Above him, Taehyung curses.

 

“S-shit, Jeongguk—”

 

Jeongguk angles his head to the side and watches as Taehyung all but rips off the condom and tosses it in the trash can, one fist pumping at his cock while the other tangles in the sheets besides Jeongguk’s head. He watches through heavy-lidded eyes, desperately rutting down against the sheets until his own body locks up in ecstasy, shivers at the growl that rips through Taehyung’s throat as spurts of cum land across Jeongguk’s lower back. It dips into the curve of his spine and streaks across his ass, the head of Taehyung’s dick smearing the mess into his skin. 

 

Boneless and spent, all Jeongguk can do is lay there. The edges of his consciousness are blurred and fuzzy in the way that only come from a good fuck. He doesn’t even care that they’ve made a mess of the bed, cum cooling on his stomach and back, lube sticky and drying between his legs. 

 

Taehyung rolls on the bed to grab at a box of tissues on his nightstand, carefully wiping the mess on Jeongguk on his back and between his legs. Jeongguk twitches from the sensitivity, mumbles into the sheets, and Taehyung presses a kiss to the dimples of his spine before crawling over Jeongguk. He rests half his body on Jeongguk’s upper body with an arm thrown across his shoulders, head twisting to peck the younger on the cheek. 

 

“We can shower in the morning if you want,” Taehyung sighs, his deep timbre even lower post-sex. There’s still a golden tinge to his eyes, but the primal lust is beginning to disappear. “I’m not changing the sheets tonight.”

 

“Sounds. . . good,” Jeongguk slurs. Taehyung is warm and he smells so good that he can’t help but twist up against him as much as possible. “Pretty sure you just fucked my brains out anyway.”

 

Taehyung chuckles, pulling Jeongguk into his chest and nuzzling against his hair. “I thought you wanted that,” he hums, playing with strands of Jeongguk’s hair. “I wasn’t too rough?”

 

Jeongguk shakes his head, but his eyes won’t stay open. “Was just fine,” he mumbles into the jut of Taehyung’s collarbone. “Liked it. . . a lot.”

 

“That’s good, because I liked it a lot too.”

 

He reaches down to grab at the pile of fur blankets at the end of his bed, pulling them over their bare bodies. He covers Jeongguk up to his neck, keeping his arms around him. 

 

“Sleep, if you’re tired. We don’t have to get up early, can sleep in a bit.” Taehyung’s voice cuts out when he yawns. “Breakfast will be ready whenever we’re up, and we can take our time and shower. I’ll be here all night, Kook. Get some rest.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh they finally did it!! 
> 
> We've been so excited to write bottom Kook for a change and we really love Taekook's dynamics in this fic, and we hope you do too. :) Drama is on the way (and one more smut scene) so please look forward to that as well!!<3
> 
> Follow us on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas) to yell at us about this chapter, and also comment below your thoughts, screaming, etc! <33


	12. XII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taehyung can’t help himself, forgetting about washing Jeongguk off as he ducks down and noses his way along Jeongguk’s neck. He breathes in deep, inhales Jeongguk’s scent and the faint lingering of his own, mouthing over his fluttering pulse point. Without realization, the haze of pre-rut clouding his mind, he scents Jeongguk properly in the junction of his neck and shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In celebration of Taekook Day, we are doing a DOUBLE UPDATE!! :D Yay!! This chapter is a little R-18 because of some smut, but Taehyung's just. . . a naughty boy. . .
> 
> :)
> 
> Also, there's important drama in this chapter! Just a heads up ;)

Taehyung wakes up to the smell of hot breakfast and the lingering aroma of sex. 

 

His eyes crack open, the sunlight just barely peeking in through his dark curtains. He’s pressed against Jeongguk, arm thrown across his body, chest against Jeongguk’s naked back. The fur blankets are askew, and when Taehyung’s vision clears, he’s reminded of last night. 

 

There’s this giddy feeling that rises in his throat right away; the pleasure and excitement of last night come to him in a rush, and he finds himself smiling, fingers gently rubbing Jeongguk’s hips. The younger shifts but he doesn’t wake up. He’s still asleep, but after last night, he deserves the rest. 

 

Taehyung peeks over Jeongguk’s shoulder to glance at the clock. It’s a little after nine, almost nine thirty, and there’s a rumble in his stomach. He carefully sits up, removing his arm from around Jeongguk. The younger mumbles something, nose scrunching up, and it’s so endearing that Taehyung just wants to lie back down with him and spend the rest of the day with him in bed. But he can’t. He’s hungry.

 

Slowly, as to not wake him, Taehyung steps out of bed and stretches. He feels rejuvenated, pleased with himself, eyes flitting back to Jeongguk as he moves for his dresser to grab clothes. Hickeys litter Jeongguk’s neck and shoulders, and his dark hair is mussed up. He’s gorgeous. So fucking gorgeous.

 

It takes a lot of self control for Taehyung to get dressed and not climb back into bed. He slips into sweatpants and a t-shirt, fixing his hair in the mirror so it looks somewhat decent. Maybe the others won’t notice.

 

But he’s surrounded by werewolves, so they’re going to smell it on him. 

 

Otherwise, Taehyung would be embarrassed, but he’s going to flaunt this; he fucked Jeongguk, and he’s proud of it. 

 

With his head held high, Taehyung exits the bedroom and shuffles downstairs where he can hear the TV playing and the sound of silverware clinking and murmured voices. It isn’t until he’s right outside the kitchen does someone notice him.

 

“ _ Oh my fucking god _ — _ ” _

 

He can hear Baekhyun first, voice close to something of a shriek. Taehyung strolls in, surveying the kitchen. Everyone stares at him in shock, mouths agape, noses wrinkled. Yoongi’s face looks particularly pinched in what Taehyung recognizes as disapproval.

 

“Well,” Jimin says to break the silence, tapping his left foot against the supporting beam of his barstool, “it looks like he took the news  _ well _ .”

 

No one else touches the food on their plates— it’s a smaller spread, probably Chanyeol’s doing this time. But there’s still pancakes and sausage piled up on the center of the island.

 

“You could say that, yeah,” Taehyung hums, and frankly, he’s quite smug about it. He glances over at Yoongi before he’s grabbing plates and silverware for him and Jeongguk. “I told you he’d understand.”

 

Baekhyun snorts and his fork scrapes against his mostly empty plate. “Oh, it smells like he  _ understood _ alright. You reek.”

 

Taehyung smiles, loading food on the plates and popping a strawberry in his mouth. “Relax, I’ll air out my room and we’ll shower,” he says through that mouthful of fruit before swallowing it. “Besides, I’d rather smell that than rut.”

 

His rut is close now, they can all smell it. Minseok’s eyes narrow to Yoongi, but most everyone else isn’t aware of the looming tension.

 

“You’ll have to spill the details to me later, Tae, tell me all about that pretty boy when he leaves,” Baekhyun chirps, setting his fork down on his plate. Taehyung snatches two bottles of water from the fridge before he starts making his way out of the kitchen. 

 

Over his shoulder, he glances at the pack. “I’ll take him home before the afternoon,” he states, before disappearing around the corner and heading back upstairs. He balances the two plates of food in each hand, water bottles tucked under his arm, and he nudges open the bedroom door before shutting it behind him. 

 

At the noise, Jeongguk stirs. Taehyung sets down the plates on his nightstand as well as the bottles of water, smiling when Jeongguk’s eyes flutter open and squint up at the alpha.

 

“G’morning, sunshine. Brought you breakfast.”

 

When Jeongguk rolls over to stretch, the blankets shift, exposing even more skin. The marks on his neck look darker in the shadows. It makes Taehyung’s teeth itch. “Oh good, I’m starving.”

 

Taehyung hands Jeongguk his plate, and he settles down on the bed next to Jeongguk with his own. “How are you feeling?” He asks, popping open the cap to his bottle and taking a sip. His eyes wander over to Jeongguk, pleased that he’s already halfway through one of the pancakes on his plate. 

 

“Sore,” is his honest answer after he swallows. Taehyung’s eyes track the way his toes curl under the sheets. “But in a good way, I guess? Sorry for falling asleep on you. I kinda feel gross.”

 

“S’okay,” Taehyung swallows his bite of pancakes. “I get that you’re tired. We can shower after you finish eating. The others downstairs. . . would appreciate it.”

 

“Oh god.” The way the tips of Jeongguk’s ears go pink shouldn’t be so cute. “Can they. . .?”

 

“Yeah.” Taehyung tries to hold back his smile when Jeongguk whines pitifully in embarrassment. “They can smell it on me. Can smell sex, can smell you. . . but a shower will help.”

 

Jeongguk’s nose scrunches up, but he’s quick to smooth his expression out into something more neutral. “Did they seem surprised?”

 

“They thought we were going to play Overwatch, not fuck,” Taehyung mumbles, but there’s a tinge of humor in his voice. “They also weren’t sure how you would respond to the whole reveal. Think they’re surprised you took it  _ this  _ well.”

 

“I’m just full of surprises, aren’t I?” Jeongguk laughs around his mouthful, fork scraping against his front teeth as he pulls back. “It’s . . . kind of crazy, yea, but— I don’t know, it doesn’t really change who you are. I still really like you, Tae, with or without fur.”

 

Taehyung sets his plate down next to him and he leans forward, nuzzling against Jeongguk’s neck and pecking him on the cheek. “You’re so sweet, Kook,” he mumbles, kissing him again, this time on the corner of his mouth. He tastes like maple syrup. “That makes me happy.  _ You  _ make me happy.”

 

It’s probably unintentional, but Jeongguk bares his throat when he twists away with another laugh in the back of his throat, and something hot, primal twists in Taehyung’s belly. Yoongi would tell him that he’s being stupid, and it is foolish to be this close to someone that he wants with his rut looming in the not so distant future. Jeongguk isn’t a wolf. He’s human, and humans are fragile. So he pulls back, tries to focus on finishing his breakfast while Jeongguk works on clearing his own plate, and forces himself not to look at the dark bruise he’d sucked into Jeongguk’s skin, right over the steady flutter of his pulse point.

 

“Shower?” Jeongguk asks, empty plate pushed off to the side of the bed. His fingers reach for Taehyung’s, gently lacing them together when his palm presses against the back of Taehyung’s hand.

 

Blinking out of his thoughts, Taehyung polishes off the rest of his food and also sets his plate aside. He smiles, fingers curling around Jeongguk’s. “Mm, that’d be nice.” He goes to stand up, and Jeongguk’s legs slide out from under the furs. They barely keep him decent and Taehyung tries to keep his eyes focused on Jeongguk’s face, not the sinewy muscles of his thighs or the smattering of bruises around his hips from where Taehyung’s fingers had held tight.

 

“Need me to carry you there?”

 

“I’m fine,” Jeongguk insists. And Taehyung has to give him credit for getting around as well as he does. Stubborn, but there’s a bit of a limp when he gathers one of the sheets around the small dip of his waist and heads for the bathroom door that’s hanging slightly ajar.

 

Amused, and also impressed, Taehyung follows after him. He peels his shirt over his head and tosses it aside before he’s in the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Jeongguk leans against the counter with the sheets loosely gathered around his waist. In the bright light of the bathroom, Taehyung can clearly see all of the bruises on Jeongguk’s neck and chest, some a deep purple, others a faint red, but the sight has Taehyung’s teeth clenching and aching.

 

“Look at you, so strong,” Taehyung muses playfully, swallowing and turning around to turn on the shower. It’s spacious enough for them both, with glass walls and a sliding door. The alpha turns on the hot water and leaves the door cracked. He reaches for the band of his sweatpants and Jeongguk shifts, fiddling with the sheets around him.

 

Taehyung drags the sweatpants down his hips and steps out of them when they drop to the floor. He glances over at Jeongguk, and Jeongguk feels a hot sensation twisting in his belly when he sees the faint scratch marks of his nails against Taehyung’s tanned back. 

 

“Oh, don’t tell me you’re embarrassed, Kook,” Taehyung calls out, sliding open the shower door. Jeongguk fidgets when he grins. “Last night you weren’t when you ripped my robe off.”

 

His goading makes Jeongguk scoff, and he drops the sheet right to the ground, steps over it to follow Taehyung into the steam that’s already beginning to cloud the room. It’s a shame really, Taehyung thinks, that he won’t be able to smell himself on Jeongguk as strongly. Already the water dampens his scent when Jeongguk ducks his head under the stream, and he’s still making himself seem small, like he’s still nervous. 

 

Taehyung shuffles closer to the stream of the water once Jeongguk’s hair is soaked, and he leans forward to do the same. Jeongguk shrinks against the wall as Taehyung invades the area underneath the showerhead, but the alpha soon backs off and reaches for his bottle of shampoo. 

 

“Wanna wash your hair,” he mumbles, squirting a decent amount into the palm of his hand. “And then you. Can I?”

 

“You want to. . . wash me?”

 

Jeongguk’s eyes are wide when he blinks up, lips pouty and still swollen from their kisses. 

 

“Yeah,” Taehyung licks his lips. “I just. . . wanna touch you and care for you, I guess. Instinct.”

 

There’s a long moment where he worries Jeongguk might deny him, and he won’t press, not if it’s something that Jeongguk wants. But his wolf side wants to care for a potential mate, to show he can be a good provider. A breath he didn’t know he was holding whooshes out of his lungs when Jeongguk ducks his head and starts to turn around. 

 

“You can scrub hard,” he mumbles, his one palm splayed out on the tile wall beside them. Taehyung hesitates, watching the beads of water that stream down Jeongguk's shoulders before he's raising his sudsy hands to Jeongguk's hair. He rubs the shampoo through his dark locks, digging in with his fingertips and moving in circles. Jeongguk sighs, and Taehyung scrubs a little harder until Jeongguk's hair is covered in shampoo.

 

“Your hair is gonna smell like mine,” Taehyung murmurs as he directs Jeongguk under the spray, washing out the shampoo with the help of his fingers. “I like it.”

 

And maybe, he hopes, Jeongguk will like it too. 

 

“Possessive,” Jeongguk murmurs, a pleased hum at the end as Taehyung works the last of the suds with gentle pressure on his scalp. “That a general werewolf thing or. . .?”

 

Taehyung washes the last of the shampoo out, carding his fingers through Jeongguk’s soaked hair. “Well, for one, I really like the smell of my shampoo but also, yes, it is a werewolf thing. Having you smell like me tells other wolves that you’re mine.”

 

“Staking your claim?” Jeongguk teases, making sure his hair gets under the stream for a final rinse. 

 

“Yeah,” Taehyung chuckles, leaning in to nip at Jeongguk’s ear playfully as he hands him the bottle of shampoo. “Your turn!”

 

As so Jeongguk returns the favor, takes his time in massaging every inch of Taehyung’s scalp until pleasant goosebumps litter his arms. They’re almost touching. Jeongguk’s chest nearly presses to Taehyung’s back as he keeps working the shampoo into a rich, foamy lather. 

 

“Mm, feels good,” Taehyung mumbles, tilting his head so that every inch is covered in shampoo. When Jeongguk is finished, Taehyung steps under the hot spray, nudging Jeongguk back against the chilly tiled wall. The alpha throws back his head when he's finished, shoving his hair away from his face. “Grab the soap next to you?”

 

Jeongguk twists his body around to grab the bottle of soap behind him. He gives it to Taehyung, who pops open the cap and squirts some on his hand before he motions for Jeongguk to hold open his hands. Twisting the bottle upside down, Taehyung squirts the soap into Jeongguk’s palm and then reaches around him to put the soap away. 

 

“How about we wash each other, hm?” Taehyung hums, already rubbing the soap between his hands. The hot spray rains down on Jeongguk’s back.

 

Jeongguk’s touch is surprisingly delicate. His palms smooth gently over Taehyung’s shoulders, rubbing in small circles to lather the body wash. He won’t meet Taehyung’s eye either. His gaze is instead trained somewhere on the alpha’s chest. Taehyung, on the other hand, keeps his eyes on Jeongguk as he rubs his shoulders and chest with the soap. His hands wander, palms flat against Jeongguk’s toned abdomen, nostrils flaring as he rubs his thumbs against Jeongguk’s waist and the younger lets out a small noise. He must still be tender from where Taehyung grabbed him last night. 

 

Taehyung leans in as Jeongguk’s hands travel down his arms, gaze still focused somewhere else. The water pours down his back, washing away the suds on his shoulders. The alpha watches as water trickles down Jeongguk’s neck, traveling across the splotchy bruises Taehyung left with his mouth.

 

Intentionally, Taehyung spends a particular amount of time rubbing Jeongguk’s hips and thighs, enough to have Jeongguk squirming and whining. 

 

“Oh,” the alpha mumbles, but his hands continue to wander, massaging the base of Jeongguk’s spine. “Sensitive?”

 

“Y-You’d know,” Jeongguk shoots back, pressing his thighs together as his own hands still. “Tae—“

 

He chokes on something that sounds a lot like a muffled moan as Taehyung squeezes his ass with both of his wide palms. The soap makes it slick, easy for Taehyung to slide and change his grip, and he can feel the way Jeongguk starts trembling in his hold. 

 

Taehyung can’t help himself, forgetting about washing Jeongguk off as he ducks down and noses his way along Jeongguk’s neck. He breathes in deep, inhales Jeongguk’s scent and the faint lingering of his own, mouthing over his fluttering pulse point. Without realization, the haze of pre-rut clouding his mind, he scents Jeongguk properly in the junction of his neck and shoulder.

 

It’s dizzying, how good it feels to rub his scent all over. Now  _ everyone _ will know Jeongguk is  _ his _ —

 

“Tae— Tae, what are you—“

 

The sound of Jeongguk’s voice sobers Taehyung, and he snaps back, hands sliding to Jeongguk’s waist. His eyes are tinged with gold, and he shudders when their eyes meet. 

 

“I-I—”

 

Taehyung doesn’t know how to explain himself. 

 

He just scent marked a human, taken over by the hormonal rush that comes with pre-rut. While it has no effect on Jeongguk, it greatly affects Taehyung. 

 

“I think. . . I should take you home soon,” Taehyung breathes, hands slowly dropping from Jeongguk’s body, though his muscles twitch and his teeth ache to do so. “Water’s also gonna get cold.”

 

“Oh. Okay. Yea.”

 

Taehyung is the first one out of the shower, gulping in a huge breath of air that isn’t heavily laced with Jeongguk’s scent. He’s followed closely behind by the human, who quickly dries off and wraps the towel close around his body. “I’ll just. . . get dressed and then we can go?”

 

“Yeah, that’s fine. You don’t have to rush.” 

 

Taehyung doesn’t bother wrapping a towel around himself. Instead, he loosely pats himself dry, and finds a clean pair of underwear to throw on. With that on, he goes over to his closet to pick out a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. As he’s sliding his jeans over his hips, his eyes travel to Jeongguk when he enters the bedroom with only a towel around his waist. His nostrils flare. 

 

God, it’d be so easy for him just to cross the room and throw Jeongguk on the bed, rip off that towel around his waist and—

 

“Tae, are you okay?” Jeongguk’s head peeks out through the neck of his shirt once he’s done wrestling it over his head. “Did. . . I do something wrong?”

 

Twisting around, Taehyung quickly shakes his head. Jeongguk’s eyes are wide and round as they stare at him, and Taehyung feels pity for acting so strange and making it seem like Jeongguk did something wrong. 

 

“No, no of course not,” he utters, walking over to Jeongguk. His smell is intoxicating, the entire room smelling like it. “You didn’t do anything. It’s just me, don’t worry your pretty little head about it, okay?” 

 

It’s just. . . he doesn’t want to scare Jeongguk off, not after last night had gone so, so well. But it’s not going to be a good idea to keep him around for much longer. Already the spike in hormones is making Taehyung sweat, his teeth itch, and between his legs to pulse. The last thing he needs it for Jeongguk to trigger a full blown rut while he’s here.

 

Once they’re both dressed, Taehyung watches as Jeongguk busies himself with tucking everything back into his backpack. His hair’s still damp, curling over his forehead and almost hanging over those wide, doe eyes.

 

“Just about ready?” Taehyung asks, rummaging in his closet for shoes as a distraction. He pulls out his sneakers and takes his time lacing them up while Jeongguk makes sure he has everything packed.

 

“I think so.” His bag is slung over one shoulder. Both plates are balanced in his free hand. “Should I wash these or. . .?”

 

Hopping up, Taehyung walks over and takes the plates from Jeongguk. “No, I got ‘em. I’ll just put them in the sink and wash them when I get back.” He glances away and starts walking out the bedroom door, keeping it propped open. He waits for Jeongguk to trail after him so they can walk downstairs together.

 

But Jeongguk sort of tucks himself behind Taehyung, his breath tickling the alpha’s shoulder, when it becomes apparent they aren’t alone in the house. 

 

“Jeongguk-ah,” Baekhyun beams from his perch at the kitchen island. “You didn’t run screaming last night. I’m impressed.”

 

“You’re over exaggerating,” Taehyung scoffs as he shuffles into the kitchen, Jeongguk awkwardly and shyly standing in the entryway. The alpha sets the plates in the sink and runs hot water over them. Jimin, also in the kitchen, glances between Taehyung and Jeongguk. 

 

“No running, but I’m pretty sure I heard some screaming,” he teases, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Jeongguk makes a choking noise in embarrassment, and Baekhyun cackles. 

 

“Shut up, hyung,” Taehyung mumbles from the kitchen sink. “We weren’t  _ that  _ loud. Not like you and Yoongi, or even Baekhyun.”

 

“Oh, please,” Jimin scoffs, resting his chin in the palm of his hand, “I’m only making fun.”

 

No one seems to care about how flushed Jeongguk is, eyes cast to the floor with one hand still gripping tight to the strap of his backpack. Both Baekhyun and Jimin zero in on the dark mark against the side of his neck at the same time, sliding their gazes to Taehyung. 

 

“Already?” Baekhyun mocks shock. “Feeling a little territorial are we?”

 

Taehyung lifts his head and puffs out his chest. “And what if I am?” He asks, brows slightly pinched as he makes his way back to Jeongguk. When there, he reaches out to lace their fingers together loosely. “I’ll be back in an hour, just dropping him off then coming back. Unless you need me to stop somewhere along the way?”

 

Both of the other pack members share an amused look before Jimin shakes his head. “No, no take your time. Yoongi and I are going into the city later anyway.”

 

“Mm, alright. . . text me if you change your mind.” Taehyung tugs gently on Jeongguk as they prepare to leave, but Jeongguk stops short of leaving the kitchen so he can say goodbye to Baekhyun and Jimin.

 

While they say their goodbyes, Taehyung feels another set of eyes on him: Yoongi. The other alpha’s out on one of the living room couches, doesn’t break eye contact when Taehyung meets his gaze. There isn’t. . . a challenge there, but by now Taehyung’s learned to read Yoongi’s little signs of disapproval. He won’t be able to avoid a confrontation much longer, that much is plain. But at least Yoongi is respectful enough to wait until Jeongguk isn’t around.

 

Pack business needs to remain pack business for now. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Taehyung drives Jeongguk home with one hand on the steering wheel and the other laced with Jeongguk’s over the center console. Jeongguk had initiated it, not as shy as before, and occasionally rubs his thumb over the back of Taehyung’s hand absently on the drive back into the city. The radio’s on, and Jeongguk hums along.  _ He’s got such a beautiful voice,  _ Taehyung can’t help but think. Maybe Jeongguk will sing to him one day. He’ll have to ask.

 

The ride has been pleasantly quiet, but Taehyung isn’t one for such prolonged silence so he’s bound to start a conversation and some point. He drums his fingers on the steering wheel.

 

“Sorry we didn’t get to play Overwatch,” he says, remembering that they had planned  _ very _ different things to do during the night. “Or help you study for chem. . .”

 

Jeongguk offers up a small smile. “I still had fun anyway. Gives me an excuse to come back.”

 

“Oh? So sex and games will bring you back?”

 

So sue him if he likes watching Jeongguk get flustered. 

 

“No! I mean. . . yes, but—“

 

A grin spreads across Taehyung’s face. “Sex will bring you back, got it. And maybe Overwatch.” 

 

Jeongguk mumbles under his breath, probably calls Taehyung a name of some sort. Taehyung squeezes his hand and laughs in endearment. 

 

“Maybe you’ll get to cuddle me when I’m a wolf, too.”

 

It’s quiet after that. Taehyung has to remember that Jeongguk needs time to process everything. That maybe the truth of what Taehyung is hasn’t quite sunken in yet. But he’s patient. He’ll wait. He just has to remember to try and not stick his foot in his mouth every time he opens it. 

 

Lucky for them, Taehyung pulls into Jeongguk’s neighborhood minutes later, parking his Jeep next to the curb of their usual meeting spot. He turns off the car and fiddles with Jeongguk’s fingers intertwined with his own. They both don’t want to let go. 

 

“Guess I’ll see you Monday, Kookie?” Taehyung mumbles, but it’s only so he can hear Jeongguk talk to him again. 

 

“Yea, of course,” Jeongguk’s hand tightens around his for a moment before letting go so that he can release the seatbelt from its catch. “See you Monday.”

 

Taehyung unlocks the doors and leans back with a hum as Jeongguk reaches into the backseat to pull his backpack and duffel bag into his lap. He’s slow moving, fumbling with his things, and he’s so cute, such a shy little thing. The alpha leans in and it’s almost automatic, how their lips meet, Jeongguk tipping his head a certain way in the kiss. Taehyung doesn’t take it much further than a simple locking of lips, because there’s already a fire burning in his belly that’s lingered since last night. 

 

They break off the kiss, but Taehyung pecks Jeongguk’s kiss-swollen lips once more before pulling away. “Yea, see you later.” 

 

It’s worth it to see the way Jeongguk’s whole face brightens when he smiles. With both bags over his shoulder, the younger slides out of the Jeep with a bounce in his step, waving as Taehyung throws the SUV in gear and pulls away from the curb. 

 

He doesn’t think anything of how Jeongguk doesn’t move until he’s turned the corner at the end of the street, too concerned with the pull of his rut slowly tightening at his core, a thin sheen of sweat breaking out over his forehead. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Taehyung manages to drive home without incident, the haze of rut in the back of his mind now that he isn’t in Jeongguk’s proximity. Without Jeongguk near him, he doesn’t feel like he’s going to claw out of his skin; he feels lightheaded, as he usually does when his rut approaches, but it’s not debilitating. Thankfully.

 

His rut is a few days earlier than expected, and he just wants to lock himself in his room for the rest of the day before it hits. He kicks off his shoes when he’s inside, locking the front door behind him with a low rumbling sigh. The thin sheen of sweat still gathers on his forehead and he brushes his hair back with his fingers as he ambles on into the kitchen for a bottle of water to bring with him upstairs. Some of the pack is in the living room, but at the sound of the fridge opening, he hears footsteps heading his way. In his pre-rut frenzy, he wrinkles his nose, and shuts the fridge when Yoongi enters the kitchen.

 

“Christ, you smell,” the smaller alpha scrunches up his nose like he always does when he finds something unpleasant. “You’re playing with fire, Taehyung. What the fuck are you doing?”

 

“What do you mean, ‘what am I doing?’” Taehyung mumbles. “It’s just Jeongguk. He’s gone, so you can relax.”

 

“He threw you into an early rut. No one is relaxed.”

 

“It’s only two days or three days early, s’happens. I’m sure it’s going to hit tonight or tomorrow. Your rut caused mine to come at least a week earlier, so. . .”

 

Yoongi’s nostrils flare. “You’re being irresponsible.”

 

“By having sex before my rut?” Taehyung’s brows furrow. “I didn’t know that was a crime, hyung.”

 

“By bringing that kid into our den, exposing the pack, and, yea, fucking a human this close to your rut probably wasn’t the brightest idea you’ve ever had. You  _ know _ there’s a strong hunter presence here; don’t you think it’s a little  _ too _ convenient how easy he accepted you?”

 

“ _ What  _ are you suggesting?”

 

“That  _ you _ are thinking with your dick. This isn’t about you getting ass. The rest of the pack depends on you to lead and keep them safe.”

 

“This was  _ never  _ about that—” Taehyung raises his voice in frustration. “ _ You  _ are the  _ only  _ one who has been upset, questioning my leadership, when everyone else hasn’t. What’s your fucking problem?”

 

Yoongi’s kept the kitchen island between them, eyes flickering to where Taehyung tightens his grip on the water bottle so hard the plastic groans under his fingertips. “ _ My _ fucking problem,” he snarls, squaring his shoulders in a way that makes him seem larger, “is that you have your head so far up that human kid’s ass that you don’t even know that Kwon Jiyong is in Seoul.”

 

There’s a pause as Taehyung takes in the information, brows still pinched. “How long have you known he’s been here?” He asks, but it comes out as more of a demand. “ _ How long? _ ”

 

“Oh,  _ now _ you care?” Yoongi scoffs. “Get a hold of yourself, Taehyung. How can we expect you to keep this pack together if  _ I _ have to be the one to tell you shit like this.”

 

Like a switch, Taehyung snarls, slamming the water bottle down. By now, their commotion has been heard by the rest of the pack. “Are you  _ challenging _ my leadership?” The alpha stalks forward and Yoongi growls low in warning. “Don’t act all fucking high and mighty. Why the fuck are we in Seoul in the first place, hm? Oh, right, because of  _ you. _ ”

 

Yoongi jerks back like he’s been slapped at the same time Jimin steps through the archway leading into the kitchen. He’s brave to enter the space like this, one hand on the wall. “Tae— please, don’t yell. The others—“

 

“No,  _ no. _ ” Taehyung snaps. “He dares to question my leadership and declares that  _ I  _ am ruining this pack and putting you in danger. Do we need to go back to Daegu? Do we need to go over again how we all gave up  _ everything  _ for you, moved across the country into a new city to keep  _ you  _ safe? And now you accuse me of risking the pack because I’m getting involved with a human, when that is  _ exactly  _ what happened two years ago, and we allowed it for the sake of  _ your _ happiness? Oh, but when I try to be happy for  _ one _ fucking time, my role as  _ your _ alpha is questioned. So, please, enlighten me on how I need to get my shit together.” 

 

“ _ Taehyung _ ,” Jimin’s voice is low, quiet, obviously trying to figure out a way to diffuse the heated situation. “Your rut is starting to spike. Maybe this isn’t the best time—“

 

“You’re always gonna fuckin’ hold that over my head, huh?” Yoongi interrupts, holding his ground. “Well why don’t I just give myself over to Jiyong and do you all a fuckin’ favor?”

 

“All I want is for you to respect me and my life,” Taehyung utters through gritted teeth. “Jeongguk makes me happy. I just— I want to be happy. But you keep making these fucking accusations that are so hypocritical—”

 

“Just—  _ stop it _ !” Jimin huffs, annoyance putting a wrinkle in the center of his forehead. “God, you’re both acting like children! Tae, please go upstairs. You’re stinking up the house with your pheromones and it’s not helping anything.”

 

The alphas both turn their heads to stare at Jimin as he pushes his way into the kitchen, bravely driving his arms between Yoongi and Taehyung and pushing them away from each other. Taehyung growls, but concedes begrudgingly. “Fine,” he snaps, snatching his water bottle from the counter. “Have it your way.”

 

Neither of them stop him, which is probably the wisest choice considering the circumstances. But Taehyung can still hear Jimin murmuring something comforting to Yoongi while he takes the stairs to the second level, and for some reason, that just pisses him off even more.

 

He barges into his room and all but slams the door shut, tossing his water bottle on his nightstand in frustration. Now, alone in his room, he does realize his rut is beginning to surface; his face is flushed, his pupils are blown wide, and sweat glistens on his temple. He feels warm under his skin, itchy, almost. There’s an ache in his belly that won’t go away.

 

Taehyung makes his way to his bed to lie down and maybe sleep, wait out the arrival of his rut, hands grabbing at his clothes to pry them off his heated body. His pants don’t come off as fast, and in his fumble to undo them, his eyes spot something near the end of his bed that his nose catches too.

 

As he’s sliding off his pants, he walks over to the gray shape and picks it up. It’s a hoodie,  _ Jeongguk’s  _ hoodie, and Taehyung groans when he brings it closer to his face to sniff it. Jeongguk forgot it here. 

 

Kicking off his pants and throwing the hoodie on his bed, Taehyung crawls on the mattress in nothing but his briefs. Logically, he should tell Jeongguk he left his hoodie here and that Taehyung should put it somewhere he can’t smell it, but the pre-rut haze blinds his conscious. 

 

He brings it to his face, burying his nose into the soft fabric and inhaling Jeongguk’s scent. It smells distinctly like him, the faint sweetness of vanilla hitting Taehyung deep. As he presses his face into the hoodie, mingling his own scent with Jeongguk’s, his body burns on the inside. Anything related to the fight with Yoongi is forgotten. The only thing on his mind is  _ Jeongguk,  _ how delicious he smells, how his gorgeous body fit perfectly against Taehyung’s, the noises that fell from his pretty lips—

 

“Fuck,” Taehyung hisses, gripping the hoodie tightly. His body tenses up and it’s so easy in pre-rut for him to slide a hand down and wrap his fingers around his cock. 

 

A shiver courses through his body. He strokes himself once, dick twitching to life in his hand, rumble sounding from his throat. He keeps his face pressed into the hoodie as he falls deeper into his headspace, bordering dangerously on early rut and the torturous pre-rut stage. For the next few days, nothing will satiate him; and while Jeongguk’s sweater may help keep the edge off, it will only make him long and ache for Jeongguk to be here during rut. 

 

Already, within such a short period of time, he’s hard, front of his underwear stained with precum. His refractory period is extremely low during rut, sometimes an orgasm doesn’t even reduce the voracious need to fuck something or touch himself. 

 

He shoves his briefs around his thighs to make the slide of his hand easier, hips bucking into the circle of his fist. A thin sheen of sweat starts to gather on his body as he picks up the pace. Jeongguk’s scent fills in every little gap in Taehyung’s mind and Taehyung just wishes Jeongguk were here, that he had accepted Jeongguk’s proposal to help him during rut, stomach clenching with the realization that he won’t see Jeongguk for  _ days. _

 

Taehyung rolls over in search of more friction and hisses as he shoves his face into Jeongguk’s hoodie, half of it underneath his body. With his hips on the bed, arms wrapped around the hoodie, he rocks down and growls low. He rolls his hips and ruts into the bed, teeth digging into the cotton of the hoodie in an attempt to keep himself grounded as he humps his way to an orgasm. His imagination runs rampant, eyes fluttering shut when he tries to imagine that Jeongguk is here with him, that he’s the one he’s holding down and fucking with earnest, that his own groans are mixed with Jeongguk’s whines and pleas for Taehyung to do it harder, faster, make him feel so fucking good—

 

“Shit,  _ shit— _ ” 

 

He ruts down frantically, the friction of the material harsh against his cock, but the pleasure is numbing. His core tightens and he grips hard with his hands and teeth when his orgasm nears. Taehyung falls apart all at once with a breathy cry ending on a growl, hips jerking as he spills his load over Jeongguk’s hoodie and his bed. He continues to milk himself of his orgasm with rolls of his hips, smearing his cum over the hoodie, panting, shoulders shaking. Sweat leaves his body in trails, hair matted to his forehead. 

 

The pre-rut haze has now morphed into Taehyung’s early rut. He can feel the difference in his body, the start of the insatiable desire that simmers low in his belly. It won’t be long before the pulse of his knot will distract him from anything in the outside world.

 

He rolls away, eyes fluttering open at the mess he’s made. He’s soiled Jeongguk’s hoodie and he doesn’t know what to think of it. A part of him feels proud, maybe even territorial, because now Taehyung’s scent will always linger until so many washes, but the other part of him —the smaller, rational part— has him feeling almost shameful for doing such a thing. 

 

But when he brings it to his nose and inhales Jeongguk’s scent once more, the throbbing of his rut felt throughout his entire body, he can’t seem to care. 

 

This will be a long, frustrating rut. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no! He's in rut and he fought with Yoongi! That can't be a good combination. . .
> 
>  
> 
> Follow our [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas) as usual for updates and also keep an eye out there for announcements of our next chaptered fic! :) We hope you guys will be interested in that too~


	13. XIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jimin leans forward, presses his forehead into the space between Yoongi’s shoulder blades and waits for the rest of the tension to bleed out of him. Yoongi has done a lot of healing since they’ve come to Seoul, but he’s still stubborn as all hell. 
> 
> “What would I do without you,” he finally whispers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is /VERY/ important, so please pay attention to the details! This chapter is centered around Yoongi and Jimin's relationship and the story behind the pack, and we hope you enjoy the shift away from Taekook for a chapter :) It's good to see their dynamics too~

Jeongguk’s mind isn’t in anything that he does for the rest of the weekend. Namjoon has him sorting out spell ingredients and cataloguing older tomes, so at least it’s mindless work that doesn’t require a lot of thought. He finds himself pressing the tips of his fingers into the bruises Taehyung left on his throat, just to feel the dull ache, to remind himself that Friday night hadn’t been just a dream. 

 

His texts to Taehyung go unanswered and unread all through the day Sunday, but he tells himself that he won’t worry unless Taehyung isn’t at school on Monday. 

 

It rains Monday morning, and Jeongguk wakes up late to boot, completely missing his first class altogether. So he’s pissed off, damp from the weather and one of his socks his soaked from where he stepped in a puddle. But he catches sight of Jimin walking across the quad with books clutched to his chest, and he chases after him.

 

“Hyung!”

 

Jimin’s head whips around, boots splashing water from his twirl as he faces Jeongguk. He stays where he is and pushes up his glasses when Jeongguk stops in front of him. The elder has bags under his eyes, the color darker than usual, but his eyes are still bright and focused on Jeongguk.

 

“You look like you just ran a marathon, Kook,” Jimin comments, hiking the books higher in his arms when they start to slide. “You wake up late again?”

 

“Yea, uhm— did you take notes today?”

 

“Of course I did. I always take notes.” Jimin smiles briefly. “I can send you a pic but. . . are you busy after practice tonight?”

 

“Well. . .” Jeongguk rubs at the back of his head. “No, not really. I was kind of hoping to see Tae. He never answered any of my texts yesterday. Is he okay?”

 

Jimin’s lips purse, pouty lips turning into a thin line. “He’s in his rut,” he answers, his voice dropping a level. “Let’s go out to eat something, you and me. There’s some things that I think we should talk about. If you’re free, then I really think we should meet, because Tae will be gone for most of the week and he won’t be answering the phone.”

 

_ Oh _ . Jeongguk’s mouth opens and then closes. “All week? It’s like. . . when Yoongi hyung was sick?”

 

“It started yesterday technically, but hopefully he’ll be back Thursday. It shouldn’t last that long. I had to stay with Yoongi during his and that was about three or four days.”

 

“Is he going to be okay? Should I come over—“

 

“No,  _ no.”  _ Jimin’s eyes widen and he almost drops a book in his fumbling. “He’s fine. They’re not actually sick, but you being there will make it a lot harder on him. I can’t—I can’t explain everything now, but if you want to get dinner with me, I’ll explain that and so much more. I just. . . don’t want to do it here. There’s too much to explain.”

 

That still really doesn’t ease the heavy feeling of worry that’s curled up in the pit of Jeongguk’s stomach, but he nods anyway. “Okay, yea. Dinner sounds good. Right after practice?”

 

Jimin sighs out in relief and nods. “Yea, we can head to that restaurant we all went to before. I’ll see you at practice, okay? I need to get to my next class, it’s on the other side of campus.”

 

“Right. You gotta run twice as fast as normal people with those short little legs of yours.”

 

With his hands full of books, Jimin is unable to flip Jeongguk off, but he still utters a playful “fuck you” before turning around and scurrying in the opposite direction. 

 

When Jeongguk turns to head to his next class, he nearly jumps out of his skin when he almost steps right into Selugi. She’s wearing obnoxiously yellow rain boots and today her hair is braided, slung over her shoulder. 

 

“Be careful, little Jeonggukkie,” she coos. Jeongguk knows by now the sweet smile on her face is anything but. “It’s easy to bite off more than you can chew.” Her eyes flick to the mark peeking over the collar of his sweatshirt. 

 

“Piss off, noona.”

 

Selugi laughs. It would be a pretty sound if Jeongguk didn’t think she was so evil. “You smell of him still. The alpha. Did you tell him? I’ll bet you didn’t. I wasn’t sure you had it in you to manipulate him like that—“

 

Jeongguk shoves past her. His ears burn. “Shut up.”

 

The vampire easily keeps up with his brisk pace, but her braid falls from her shoulder and swings between her shoulder blades instead. “No, it’s a compliment,” she continues, “maybe you have what it takes to live up to your family name after all. Your daddy would be proud.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Again, Jeongguk finds himself distracted enough that practice is a bit of a shit show. He’s off center almost every time they key up the music to start, and his body just won’t keep tempo. Halfway through, he can see the instructor’s irritation building in the form of a crease between his eyebrows that doesn’t go away. Even Jimin keeps looking at him pointedly between rounds. 

 

It just. . . It feels so weird to not have Taehyung here. He misses him, more than he ever did before. But if Jimin says he’s okay . . .

 

Eventually Jeongguk just ends up frustrated with himself, turning over his (one-sided) conversation with Selugi in his head. Although he doesn’t want to admit it out loud: he’s scared. It’s not that he doesn’t wish he’d never volunteered for this mission, but maybe. . . maybe he should have told Taehyung earlier instead of pretending to be something he’s not. 

 

Would his parents be horrified if they knew their son was falling in love with a werewolf?

 

Jeongguk is jostled out of his trance when there’s the slight shake of his shoulders. Blinking, he catches sight of Jimin peeking into his view, eyebrows pinched in concern, bag hauled over his shoulder. He didn’t even realize that it’s already the end of dance practice. He was so lost in his thoughts—

 

“Are you feeling okay, Kook? You looked lost the entire time.”

 

“I’m fine, hyung,” Jeongguk assures him, pulling a smile with the corners of his mouth. “I’ll be even better when you treat me to food.”

 

Jimin scoffs playfully, nudging Jeongguk away. “Of course,” he snorts. “Wouldn’t want you to faint from hunger, now would we?”

 

“Buy me beef,” Jeongguk whines like a child, just to get a rise out of Jimin. They walk nearly side by side on the way out. It’s raining again. Jeongguk huffs in annoyance, pulling the hood of his jacket over his head. “I don’t suppose you drove?”

 

“You have no manners,” Jimin huffs, and from his bag, he pulls out an umbrella. Smart. They huddle under it and make their way into the parking lot, and Jimin procures car keys from his pocket. “Of course I drove. Taehyung usually drives us home, but with him at home, I get to drive his car. I should have gotten it washed. . . don’t know what nasty things you two did in it. “

 

Jeongguk purses his lips and dashes over to the passenger side, making a pained noise when Jimin waits several seconds to unlock the door with the car’s remote. “We didn’t do  _ anything,”  _ he gripes once he’s safely inside, shaking his head like a dog to unmat his wet fringe from his forehead. 

 

Jimin tosses his bag and the umbrella in the backseat, starting the car and turning on the windshield wipers. “Oh, not  _ yet,”  _ he smirks, pulling out of the parking lot. “Bet you will.”

 

“You’re gross,” Jeongguk slinks down in the passenger’s seat and makes sure that his seatbelt is buckled. “But. . . what else did you want to talk about? You said you had some stuff you wanted to explain?”

 

“We’ll talk when we’re in the restaurant, but I want to talk about me, and Yoongi, and more about us. You know who we are but you should know more about me and why I’m. . . no longer human, if we want to put it that way.”

 

With his fingers twisted together in his lap, Jeongguk remains silent for a long moment. “Okay.”

 

The ride to the restaurant is short, much quicker than the last time. Maybe the bad weather is keeping people at home. They’re the only patrons this time, and it’s the same waitress that guides them both to one of the booths in the back. Jeongguk finds himself staring intently at the backs of her hands as she sets their menus down. 

 

Jimin doesn’t have to even look at the menu before he orders, but Jeongguk fumbles for a moment. Jimin spares him the embarrassment by ordering for him, just adding on more meat to their order. The waitress is gone, leaving the two alone. 

 

It’s a silent moment between them. Jeongguk fiddles with his fingers in his lap, and Jimin sets his phone on the booth next to him. There’s a text message from Yoongi, Jeongguk can see, and he’s surprised when Jimin just taps his screen to turn it off, ignoring the message altogether. 

 

“I actually wanted to talk about Yoongi first,” Jimin begins, prying his eyes away from his phone. “It all starts with him.”

 

“It does?” He knows that Yoongi is a centerpiece of why this pack relocated to Seoul, but he doesn’t really know the finer points of  _ why _ . “Is he why you’re. . . like this now?”

 

“He is. I fell in love with him, and agreed to become a wolf and join the pack. It’s a choice I don’t regret making.”

 

Jimin takes a sip of water. “Everything starts with Yoongi. I don’t know every detail about his past —I know it’s hard on him— but I’ll tell you what I do know. He’s from Daegu, and so is Taehyung, and most of the pack members except me, Baekhyun, and Chanyeol. Taehyung’s father ran the pack, and supposedly things were rough there. Wolves did what they wanted, with little to no consequences, including Yoongi. He was young, and so was Taehyung, but Taehyung was just. . . a teenager. Yoongi wanted to fit in, thought that what he was doing was alright, because everyone was doing it. He was a scrappy little thing, always getting into fights he had no business being in, but he was an alpha, and everyone let him do it. He didn’t stop the mayhem around him. Well, things went too far one day.” He pauses, lips forming a thin line. “In this world, there are people who hunt wolves and other creatures: Hunters. The group of the rowdiest wolves got into a fight, and then went on a rampage in Daegu and Busan, trying to rid themselves of the hunters and the rules of the pack. These wolves were dangerous, borderline feral, with no morals holding them back. Yoongi somehow found himself in the middle of this, and everything came crashing down when the wolves killed hunters, murdered women and men in cold blood for fun. That was the last straw for Yoongi.”

 

Jeongguk knows this situation well. He was a pre-teen at the time, has flashes where he remembers his parents telling him to hide when the wolves discovered where they lived.

 

“Yoongi didn’t want anything to do with the pack anymore. Taehyung agreed with him. He was repulsed by his father’s lack of remorse and unwillingness to punish the pack members who had killed those hunters. So, they took the members who wanted peace and broke off from the pack. Taehyung was young, yes, but he was the son of a pack alpha. He would have to rule the pack one day. They went on the run, found somewhere to settle down for a bit until things de-escalated. In reality, things got worse. The Daegu hunters, they’re. . . maniacs. They were able to find out who committed the crimes, and one by one, killed those wolves. The only one they hadn’t found was Yoongi. He never laid a finger on a hunter. There are eyewitnesses, he didn’t— didn’t do a  _ thing _ , and yet, those  _ monster _ s came after Yoongi, and endangered the lives of him, Taehyung, and the others. So they fled to Seoul where they would be safe.”

 

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is Jeongguk’s feeling. For such a long time, he’d thought that all wolves were blood-thirsty killers. Taehyung and his pack had changed that, but for Jimin to tell him that there were even wolves that had opposed this kind of senseless violence even back then? He doesn’t know what to think.

 

“And you were here?” he finally manages to ask, using his thumb to smudge away a bit of the cloudy condensation on his water glass. “You were in Seoul already?”

 

“I was. I was at this university already, but it was only my first year. I met Yoongi my second year, a year after he and the others had moved to Seoul. It was him first, then Taehyung. I know you don’t want to hear our love story but. . .” Jimin smiles, rubbing at his neck shyly. He rubs right over the pale scar. “We had class together. He didn’t talk to anyone, didn’t know anyone. . . so I tried to befriend him. He was so stubborn, still is, but I didn’t want to give up on him. And like that, we spent more time together, and I became close with Taehyung and the rest of the pack. It took some time for them to accept me; a human entering their world when they were teetering right on the edge of it was dangerous. But Taehyung convinced everyone that Yoongi deserved to be happy after what he’s been through.”

 

Jimin pushes aside his neckline to reveal the pale scar completely. Jeongguk has seen it in glimpses, not with a full view, and he can make out teeth indentations in Jimin’s skin. 

 

“This is our mating mark. Last year, I made the big decision. It’s a different process because I’m not a wolf, but I’m so glad I did it. I wanted a part of their world, but most of all, I wanted to be with Yoongi. I’ve never loved anyone so much. He didn’t want me to make the change originally, but what were the downsides? Other than having to deal with his ruts, there was nothing. They’ve never seen him happier, and after everything he’s been through, he deserves to be happy. He’s rough around the edges with you, he’s just suspicious, but you can’t blame him. He’s always on edge. I promise he’s a sweetheart, Kook. Maybe it’s irrational, but I wouldn’t be complete without him.”

 

“You weren’t scared?” If Jeongguk hadn’t known about the supernatural world around them, he would probably be terrified. Hell, he’s still kind of terrified, but only because he’s afraid that everything’s about to come crashing down around him. “I’m. . . sort of scared.”

 

Jimin shakes his head. “I loved Yoongi, and I wasn’t scared. I don’t scare easy, so when Yoongi suddenly became a huge wolf, my reaction was similar to yours. A little weary but overall shocked.” He lets go of his shirt. “It’s alright to be scared. Everyone is scared at some point in their life. But. . . you really like Taehyung, don’t you?”

 

There’s no denying that he does. He likes Taehyung more than he’s ever liked anyone else. So he nods, ducking his head almost shyly. “I do. It’s just. . . it’s a lot, you know. It took a lot for him to tell me, didn’t it?”

 

“It did. He had to talk to the pack about it first, but Yoongi is. . . less than accepting. He and Taehyung got into a bad fight on Saturday after you left. He’s still unhappy about it, but I’m trying to make him see both sides. Meanwhile, Taehyung is in rut, which Yoongi is also less than happy about because of how early it is. Pretty sure your little romp in the sheets caused it.”

 

Blood rushes hot into the tops of Jeongguk’s cheeks. “They fought?” he chooses to focus on that part of Jimin’s statement instead. “About me?”

 

Jimin purses his lips. “Yeah. It was ugly. I don’t want you to worry about it, because like I said, Yoongi is just paranoid, but Taehyung also needs to watch his boundaries. This is about alpha pride, so don’t feel like it’s your responsibility.”

 

“Yea, but I still. . . I feel bad. I don’t want to cause any drama in your house.”

 

The waitress reappears with their food, carefully setting down side dishes so their conversation lulls for a minute. This time, Jeongguk does see a blue-green shift of scales along the backs of her hands when she smooths them along her apron and asks if they need anything else.

 

Shaking his head, Jimin smiles, and the waitress disappears. They take another minute to have their first bites of the food before the conversation picks up again. 

 

“There’s always drama in this damn house,” Jimin mumbles, popping rice into his mouth. “Nothing you can do will help, it’s alright. Those two are just having a moment.”

 

There’s another pause and more eating. Jimin takes a gulp of water and continues. “I should probably tell you what a rut is so you know what to expect when you see Tae next, yeah?”

 

“Well,” Jeongguk begins, picking up his chopsticks between his fingers, “I’m guessing its, uhm, something kind of sexual?”

 

“Mm, how’d you know?”

 

“Just. . . like from how Tae said some stuff about Yoongi’s rut. So I kind of figured. . .?”

 

“Yeah. Three straight days of fucking. Imagine rough sex, everyday, multiple times, nonstop. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?”

 

“ _ Hyung _ ,” Jeongguk peers around to make sure no one’s in earshot. “Oh my  _ god _ —”

 

“Hey, you didn’t know,” Jimin shrugs. “That’s what Taehyung is going through, except he only has his hand to keep him busy. He’s going to be very wound up when he sees you next.”

 

Luckily, the mouthful of noodles that Jeongguk shoves between his lips doesn’t make him choke, but he does cough once he’s swallowed. “Has he. . . ever had anyone help him with it? The rut?”

 

“I don’t think so. He’s still young, and generally you should only have a partner in rut if they are your mate. The connection makes it easier for both parties. I didn’t help Yoongi through a rut until we were mated. Also, it’s wise for humans to not involve themselves in such a thing.”

 

That shouldn’t really make Jeongguk feel better, but it does. It also sort of explains why Taehyung had been so weird Saturday morning. He’d been just about to go into rut, but had behaved like a perfect gentleman. Jeongguk can’t imagine how much self-control that must have taken.

 

“Why not?” Sex with Taehyung had been intense, yes, but nothing that he couldn’t handle.

 

“ _ Why not?” _ Jimin echoes, leaning in. “Alphas have a knot. You don’t know what that is, do you?”

 

Jeongguk shakes his head. “Uh, no, not really?” All of his werewolf knowledge was pretty limited to how to kill them, not really anything having to do with anatomy.

 

Jimin’s voice lowers. “A  _ knot  _ is when their dick expands at the base. It’s for reproductive purposes, a lot of animals have one. That means you’re stretched wider, and if you really think you can handle it with  _ Taehyung _ . . . you’re in for a surprise.”

 

This time Jeongguk does choke,  _ violently _ , scrambling for his water glass to force it down. Jimin laughs, leaning back against the booth so that the fabric squeaks. “That’s— Does that only happen during a rut?” Because he  _ definitely  _ hadn’t seen or felt anything like that last weekend.

 

“Yeah,” Jimin giggles, devious smirk crossing his lips. “Only during rut. Any other time, it’s normal. But I’m sure you still had to  _ adjust  _ to him Friday night.”

 

Instead of dignifying Jimin’s jab with an answer, Jeongguk pointedly shovels more noodles into his mouth, making sure that he punctuates the motion with the most obnoxious slurping noises possible. “Worry about your own sex life.”

 

“Fine, fine, don’t come crying to me when you get hurt by a knot or Taehyung’s dick.”

 

“I  _ won’t!” _

 

 

* * *

 

 

After their dinner, Jimin drives Jeongguk home, dropping him off at the curb. He drops him off where Taehyung does, just at the end of the street, and makes sure Jeongguk has his things before he drives home. He’s received another text from Yoongi, and one from Minseok asking where he is, and Jimin doesn’t bother answering. They’re both asking the same question and he’ll be home in twenty minutes. They can wait their turn.

 

He feels satisfied with what he’s told Jeongguk. Sure, the conversation started serious, but he’s relieved that Jeongguk took things so well, and even admitted his confidence in handling Taehyung. While Jimin doubts any of that, he admires Jeongguk’s bravado. 

 

Wisely, Jimin knows that he should have texted Yoongi about being with Jeongguk, but he didn’t want Yoongi to roll on over in his car and sit with them to make sure Jeongguk doesn’t whip out a sword or gun on him (as he’s sure Yoongi would like to think.) He also knows that he should shower when he’s home because if Taehyung is roaming around and catches the slightest hint of Jeongguk’s scent on Jimin, he’ll become antsy and horny all over again. They definitely don’t need anymore of that.

 

The stars are out and the sky is ink when Jimin arrives home, all of the cars in their driveway. He’s missed dinner, but there are always leftovers in case he is hungry later tonight. He parks Taehyung’s Jeep in its usual spot and hums as he unlocks the front door, toeing off his shoes and inhaling the scents of rut, spaghetti, home, and Yoongi.

 

At the sound of his footsteps, heads peek over the couches in the living room and the pack greets him as he walks into the kitchen. There, he finds Minseok pouring wine into a glass, the beta turning his head and smiling at Jimin in relief.

 

“Oh thank God,” he breathes, “I thought you were never coming home.”

 

Jimin quirks a brow and laughs. “Really? Has it been that bad at home today?”

 

“Taehyung is still upstairs. I’ve left him food and water in front of the door but the entire house  _ reeks _ . And  _ your _ mate has done nothing but pace around the house since you left this morning. He  _ growled _ at Luhan. Please collect him before I bash him over the head with a frying pan.”

 

Jimin walks over to the counter and grabs the bottle of wine, bringing it to his lips and taking a sip. “Oh, I’ll need some wine in me to talk to him,” he mutters, sipping again before he puts the bottle down. Minseok pours just a little bit more in his glass. “You sure Luhan didn’t say something stupid?”

 

“Well, I mean, it  _ is  _ Luhan, so probably. But still!”

 

“Maybe you should collect  _ your  _ mate,” Jimin teases, and Minseok scoffs. 

 

“Away with you,” he says, topping off his glass until the wine almost touches the rim. “I deserve some relaxation after today.”

 

“And a nasty hangover in the morning,” Jimin mutters just out of earshot, and he scurries away just as Minseok reaches for one of the wet dish rags from the sink. He takes his bag in hand and exits the kitchen, peeking behind him in the living room. Yixing is knitting, Luhan is doing something on his phone, and Baekhyun and Chanyeol are curled up watching TV. Taehyung is upstairs, and Yoongi is brooding away in their bedroom. Typical home life.

 

Jimin walks down the hall to where their bedroom is and he quietly knocks before stepping inside. He gently closes the door behind him. 

 

Yoongi is standing in front of the large bay window against their far bedroom wall. When he looks over his shoulder, his brows are pinched together in the center of his forehead. “You didn’t answer my texts.”

 

“I didn’t want you storming in and ruining my time with Jeongguk,” Jimin explains, setting his bag down on the floor in front of their bed. “Besides, Minseok’s told me you’ve been brooding all day. He’s threatened to beat you with a frying pan if you keep it up.”

 

Yoongi huffs, turning his back to his mate. “Would like to see him try,” he mumbles under his breath. 

 

With a resigned sigh, Jimin walks over to Yoongi, arms slightly folded over his abdomen. “Don’t make me worried about you,” the blonde replies, coming to stand behind his mate. 

 

“No one’s worried about me,” the alpha bites out. “Everyone’s worried about Taehyung or his human.”

 

_ “I'm  _ worried about you. Is this what this is about?” 

 

Yoongi is very quiet, but Jimin can see the way the tendons in the side of his neck tighten. “No, it’s not about— I’m just . . . I don’t know. We were followed by a hunter not that long ago, and now Taehyung just blew our cover by telling that kid about what we really are—“

 

Jimin's lips purse. “Then I blew the cover even more. I told Jeongguk about you, and about me. Almost everything you told me, I told him. That's where I was tonight.”

 

He’s not happy. Jimin can clearly see that.

 

“And?”

 

“And he doesn't have a problem with you. He really likes Taehyung, the way his eyes lit up and he started talking fast— it reminded me of  _ us _ . How giddy we were when we realized we liked each other. He's falling in  _ love, _ Yoongi, what's so wrong about that?”

 

Most of the tension in Yoongi’s shoulders drains away and he sags a bit. “There ain’t nothing wrong with that, sunshine. . . I know they like each other but I’m just— I’m trying to look out for the pack. Everyone’s here because of me. I feel responsible. And now, Taehyung’s in his rut and it makes me want to crawl out of my skin.”

 

Tentatively, Jimin places his hands on Yoongi's shoulders. “You can't please everyone, you know. Or do everything on your own. I don't want you to worry so much, you've already had to do that more than you've ever needed to.”

 

“It’s what I’m supposed to do,” Yoongi argues, but without any sort of venom that would make it a fight. “I’m an alpha, Jimin, I’m supposed to provide, to take care of my pack, to protect my mate.”

 

“You don't have to do it alone, Yoongi. Just because you're the oldest alpha doesn't mean you're the only one who can provide and protect. That's what we're  _ all  _ here for. We have each other's backs, and step in where we're needed. You're not the lone wolf; the whole pack is here whenever you need us.”

 

Jimin leans forward, presses his forehead into the space between Yoongi’s shoulder blades and waits for the rest of the tension to bleed out of him. Yoongi has done a lot of healing since they’ve come to Seoul, but he’s still stubborn as all hell. 

 

“What would I do without you,” he finally whispers. 

 

“I do my best for you, Yoongi,” Jimin mumbles into his shoulder. He inhales Yoongi's scent, rubbing against him before Yoongi finally turns around to face him. He lifts his head from his shoulder and smiles at his mate, placing a hand over his jaw affectionately, letting the alpha nuzzle into his palm for several, long seconds. 

 

Yoongi’s eyes have a tinge of amber around his pupils when he finally blinks them open. “I love you. I’m nothing without you.”

 

Jimin smiles, leaning in to peck Yoongi on the lips, stroking his cheek with his thumb. “I love you too, Yoongi, more than anything. I can't imagine my life without you in it.”

 

Yoongi surges forward for a second kiss, one that’s longer, firmer. It steals the breath right from Jimin’s lungs, makes his heart flip around inside his chest. And he’s breathless when Yoongi pulls away, chastely pressing a third kiss to the tip of his nose. Jimin holds himself close to Yoongi, nuzzling into his chest. Yoongi rumbles low, content.

 

“Let's just spend the rest of the night together. Just you and me, we don't need to care about anything else tonight,” Jimin breathes, staring into his mate's amber-tinged eyes. 

 

“Please. I’ve missed you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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> 
> Just a notice: we are nearing the end of Eclipse! After this, there are only about 4 chapters remaining, and things will be moving at a quick pace after Chapter 14. We will do our very best to keep pushing out updates to finish this fic within the next 2 weeks, but please continue showing your love and support in the process! It inspires us to keep going <3
> 
> Chapter 14 is smut only, so we hope you're ready for it >:)


	14. XIV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a lengthy dinner at this ramen shop Taehyung takes him to, they drive home. One of Taehyung’s hands is on the steering wheel and the other is holding Jeongguk’s hand, fingers tracing over his knuckles, long finger entwined with Jeongguk’s. The sun is setting, casting hues of pink and orange across the sky, sun hidden in the treeline as they approach the hanok. When they arrive, there’s one car in the driveway, but Taehyung says it’s Minseok’s and that he and Luhan are out like the others. They are truly, undeniably, home alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy the smutty chapter and Taekook being the cutest boyfriends ever!

Wednesday night comes, and Taehyung’s rut breaks.

 

He’s officially been in rut since Sunday morning, the last pangs of alpha instinct dissipating late Wednesday. Yet, Taehyung doesn’t leave the comfort of his bedroom yet; he has to wait until  _ every  _ feeling of his rut is gone, which happens Thursday when he wakes up. He wakes up like a whole new person, refreshed, yet also slightly exhausted because of the toll his body’s taken the past four days. He no longer feels like he’s going to combust or crawl out of his skin, and he sighs in relief when he realizes his rut is gone. 

 

It’s been agonizing, constantly humping Jeongguk’s hoodie to force out another countless orgasm or keeping himself occupied with his hand, body spent and worn out from the exertion. He’s also extremely hungry, he notices, because his stomach growls loudly at him when he sits up in bed. While Minseok and the others have been leaving food outside his door, he’s only nibbled at his meals, and right now, he could really go for a huge breakfast. 

 

Rolling out of his soiled sheets, Taehyung takes a shower first. He’s taken one every night since starting his rut, but he actually hasn’t been  _ clean  _ until now. His room reeks of rut and body fluids and he cracks open a window to begin the airing-out process. 

 

Next thing he does is throw open his bedroom door and listen for any voices. Nobody should be home; they’re at school or work. When he hears nothing, he shuffles back into his room and rips off his sheets and blankets and anything else that needs to be washed and throws the items in the washing machine. Then, he makes breakfast, and enjoys the silence around him at the kitchen table as he eats. He checks his phone and sees text messages he hasn’t yet answered, including Jeongguk’s, but he knows Jimin spoke with Jeongguk and he doesn’t bother texting back. 

 

Taehyung watches TV the rest of the day and cleans his room, making sure it doesn’t smell as horrible before the pack comes home. He texted them, saying his rut was over, and they expressed their joy both through text and in person when they come home, one by one. 

 

But Taehyung doesn’t join them for a group dinner. Instead, he takes it upstairs with permission, and locks himself in his now-clean room with his phone. He wants to call Jeongguk, apologize for not texting him and just indulge himself in hearing his voice. He’s missed Jeongguk the entire time, especially with his hoodie here in the room, and he’s more than eager to see him again. It will be Friday tomorrow, and they might spend time together. Maybe that’s not the best thing to do, given that his rut  _ just  _ ended, but he doesn’t care. He wants to see Jeongguk again. 

 

He finishes dinner first and then taps open his phone to call Jeongguk. Not on accident, Taehyung is wearing Jeongguk’s hoodie, the one he had washed twice to rid of any. . . stains. It smells fresh, looks clean, but Taehyung doesn’t ever think the fabric will not smell like him.  _ Good. _

 

Finding his contact, Taehyung presses the call button and angles himself on his bed so he’s half lying down, half sitting. He holds the phone to his ear and chews on his lip, listening to the droning beeping noise until Jeongguk’s voice comes through.

 

“ _ Tae?”  _ He can hear Jeongguk’s smile through the phone’s tinny speakers, and he sounds a little out of breath. “ _ How are you? Are you okay? Is. . . is it over? _ ”

 

It’s so good to hear Jeongguk’s voice again.

 

“It broke last night, I can’t tell you how glad I am that it’s over now,” Taehyung replies, breathing out a sigh. “I’ll be in school tomorrow. I’m sorry I didn’t text you back _ — _ ”

 

“ _ It’s okay— _ “ There’s rustling on the other end. Maybe Jeongguk’s thrown himself into his own bed to make himself comfortable. “ _ Jimin hyung kind of told me about it. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.” _

 

“Yeah, he told me you two talked. And don’t be. . . ruts are shitty. I hate them.”

 

“ _ At least it’s over with now, right? I can see you again?” _

 

Taehyung’s stomach curls. “I’ll come tomorrow, but I don’t know if I’ll go to practice. Still feel a little weak from it. But I want to see you. I. . .” He hesitates, before speaking again. “I thought about you a lot on my rut. Pretty sure that’s all I thought about, really.” 

 

Jeongguk is quiet, but Taehyung can hear the way his breathing quickens. “ _ You did? _ ”

 

“Well, after Friday night, it was hard  _ not  _ to think about you when I went into rut.”

 

He can imagine the pretty flush Jeongguk might have across his nose and cheekbones now. “ _ Tae _ ,” the words come out like a whine, “ _ don’t say stuff like that.” _

 

A grin spreads across Taehyung’s face. “Why? Does it  _ embarrass  _ you?”

 

“ _ A little, _ ” the younger admits. “ _ But. . . I’ve thought a lot about you, too. I miss you.” _

 

The alpha chews his lip, shifting on the bed. “Ah, you’re so cute,” he mumbles, playing with the strings of Jeongguk’s hoodie. “I missed you too. Now I’m looking forward to seeing you. Do you want to come over again and spend the night tomorrow? Most of the pack will be out for the night. . . they thought my rut would be this weekend, so. . .”

 

“ _ Really?” _ There’s some more rustling. Taehyung likes to imagine Jeongguk rolling around in his blankets to get comfortable. “ _ You don’t mind?” _

 

“Course I don’t. I haven’t seen you in almost a week, I’m dying to have you over again. We can go to practice and then come here. S’the usual.”

 

“ _ Great! I mean. Yea, that’s cool. I don’t think I have anything planned. If you’re not feeling up for practice. . .we could skip it?” _

 

Taehyung had thought about skipping, but he wasn’t sure if Jeongguk would be up for skipping practice just to hang out. Looks like he does walk on the wild side sometimes. 

 

“Ah, now that’s smart,” the alpha laughs. “We can skip, get dinner, then head home. That sounds better. Jimin would disapprove, but he’s ditched before for Yoongi, so who cares?”

 

Jeongguk’s laughter is a sound that he’ll never get tired of. “ _ Hyung is kind of a hypocrite anyway. Missing one practice won’t kill me. I couldn’t even pay attention this week, so I don’t think it would be a very productive practice. Food with you sounds so much better.” _

 

“Mm, that sounds perfect. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then? Meet you at the coffee shop?”

 

“ _ Yea! I’ll head there after my last class.” _

 

Taehyung is reluctant to end the call. “Okay. Goodnight, Kook. Sleep well.”

 

“ _ Will you dream about me?” _

 

Brat. 

 

“Hm, depends. Do you want me to dream naughty about you, or nice about you?”

 

“ _ Both _ ,” Jeongguk quips with another laugh. “ _ Night, Tae. _ ”

 

“Night, you brat.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Jeongguk doesn’t usually put much thought into what he wears to school, but today he’s spent fifteen minutes staring into his closet. Around his feet are the reject clothes that haven’t made the cut. He’s contemplating a pair of jeans that he hardly ever wears, taking a moment to shimmy into them and tug them up over his hips. 

 

“They’ll have to do,” he mumbles to himself, reaching for a soft, blue turtleneck sweater that’s hanging towards the back of his closet. 

 

His overnight bag’s already packed, so after he steps into his Timbs and ruffles his hair into something that looks a little fluffier, he hoists that and his backpack over his shoulder. Sehun catches him in the kitchen when he goes to the fridge to see if there’s anything quick to grab for breakfast. 

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“School,” Jeongguk murmurs with his head in the fridge. Nothing good.

 

“No, I mean, with the other bag. You weren’t really home last weekend and now you’re staying out again. You know we’re supposed to do a graveyard patrol tonight, right?”

 

Shit. He’d forgot. Namjoon said there was a rugaru skulking around and feeding off of freshly buried corpses in a graveyard just off the banks of the Han River. “Right. Yea, uh. Can you and Tao handle it?”

 

Instead of rooting around in the fridge anymore, he sets his sights on an almost too ripe banana sitting on the counter, ignoring the slightly pinched look on Sehun’s face. 

 

“Look, it’s just, I have this massive chemistry test and I’m staying overnight at a friend’s to study. I don’t know if I’ll be back in time.”

 

“Mm, you were studying last weekend too?”

 

That makes Jeongguk feel a little guilty. “Come on, Sehun. Next time Seokjin hyung makes you de-gnome the garden, I’ll do it for you. Just cover for me?”

 

Sehun groans, kicking his feet against the island, but Jeongguk knows he’s got him. “Fine, fine. You owe me.”

 

Jeongguk’s got a mouthful of banana and waves his thanks as he breezes out of the kitchen and out the front door, excitement of finally getting to see Taehyung again puts a bounce in his step all the way to campus.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Jeongguk sits through chemistry trying to pay attention, but in the end, his mind is diverted to thinking about Taehyung. Jimin stares at him time to time during class, and Jeongguk’s lucky that the professor doesn’t call on him or he’d be busted. He’s impatient, foot jogging up and down, and he springs up from his seat as soon as the class ends. Gathering his bags, he’s stopped from running out by none other than Jimin, who sidles up next to him comfortably.

 

“A little birdie told me you’re skipping practice and going with Taehyung,” his hyung chirps, and a smile graces his features. 

 

He gets sheepish smile in reply. “Don’t rat me out! I miss him.”

 

“You two are  _ so sappy, _ ” Jimin laughs, hand patting Jeongguk’s thigh as they start to walk. “I can’t recall the last time you dressed nice at school. . . this is for Tae, yeah? He’ll want to eat you up, Kook.” The elder winks. “Good thing you two will be home alone tonight.”

 

Maybe one day Jimin won’t fluster him with his teasing, but today is not that day. “Hyung! What’s wrong with wanting to look nice?”

 

“Mm, nothing. I think it’s cute, how you’re dressing up for him.”

 

“Like you never dressed up for Yoongi hyung,” he mumbles, kicking at the ground with the toe of his boot. He didn’t really think it was  _ that _ drastic of a change. So what if these jeans are a little tighter than normal? Maybe he does want Taehyung to appreciate how he looks. Sue him.

 

“Oh, I dress for him all the time. I know what he likes.” Jimin adjusts his backpack and smiles again. “Let me know how things go tomorrow, yes? Have fun, Kook~”

 

Jeongguk sticks out his tongue as the two of them part ways, and he jogs the rest of the way up to the coffee shop. Excited would be an understatement to how he’s feeling, bouncing on the soles of his feet as he pauses outside the shop’s front door. Taehyung is already inside, laughing with one of the girls behind the counter that’s working there.

 

The door chimes when Jeongguk pushes it open and slinks in, waving when Taehyung looks over and smiles at him. He’s dressed casually, but he looks incredibly good in a simple gray hoodie and jean jacket, black jeans and ruffled hair _ — _

 

“Kook!” Taehyung hums, and Jeongguk hurries over to him, finding himself falling into Taehyung’s open arms. The alpha nuzzles into him despite the attention they’re receiving. “It’s felt like forever.”

 

In front of everyone, Jeongguk can’t help but tilt his head so that he can press a kiss right on Taehyung’s mouth, letting it linger long enough that he feels slightly light-headed when he pulls away. His arm’s still slung around Taehyung’s waist, reluctant to let go after being apart for nearly a week. “It’s been forever,” he agrees with a bright smile of his own. “Sorry if I kept you waiting?”

 

Taehyung’s smile is even brighter, reaching out to help Jeongguk with his overnight bag and hold it in his own hand. “No, I just got here,” he replies. He seems a little breathless from their kiss, too. “Do you want to get dinner? I know another restaurant we can go to.”

 

“Whatever you want. You have me for the rest of the night.”

 

“Then let’s get going, yeah? I want ramen.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

After a lengthy dinner at this ramen shop Taehyung takes him to, they drive home. One of Taehyung’s hands is on the steering wheel and the other is holding Jeongguk’s hand, fingers tracing over his knuckles, long finger entwined with Jeongguk’s. The sun is setting, casting hues of pink and orange across the sky, sun hidden in the treeline as they approach the hanok. When they arrive, there’s one car in the driveway, but Taehyung says it’s Minseok’s and that he and Luhan are out like the others. They are truly, undeniably, home alone.

 

The fact that they’re alone has Jeongguk’s heart fluttering and his stomach twisting. He hopes Taehyung can’t smell his anticipation and nervousness, but if he does, the alpha doesn’t show it. He helps Jeongguk with his bags after he parks in the driveway and digs out his house keys, all of the lights off in the house except for the one near the living room. They must leave that on at night so the members can at least see a bit when they come inside.

 

Taehyung bends over to untie his boots and Jeongguk does the same, swallowing thickly and hoping his voice doesn’t crack when he goes to speak next. He watches the alpha turn on another light, the kitchen light, and pop his head back towards where Jeongguk is standing.

 

“Do you want water, or something? Soju? Wine?” 

 

“Whatever you’re having is good,” Jeongguk replies, stepping fully into the kitchen. It’s a little strange to have the space all to themselves. He hadn’t realized how the hanok was usually bustling with the pack’s little noises until now there isn’t any. “What do you wanna do? It’s weird having the whole house to ourselves.”

 

“Mm, they might get mad if I drink their alcohol,” Taehyung mutters, referring to his hyungs. He closes the fridge after grabbing two bottles of water, handing one to Jeongguk. “I know. It's pretty nice.  We can just go to my room? Play Overwatch? If they do come home, we won't be bothered. . .”

 

“Right, I never got around to kicking your ass at Overwatch last weekend!”

 

Taehyung scoffs and pushes past Jeongguk, hauling Jeongguk’s overnight bag over his shoulder. “In your dreams, sweetie. Doubt you’ll kick my ass.”

 

“You’re on!”

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Mm, seems to me like you’re losing right now, Kook. What was that about kicking my ass again?”

 

Jeongguk grits his teeth, his grip on the controller tightening. He hasn’t played this bad since he was a level five. And to add insult to injury, Taehyung’s playing  _ Mercy _ . Of all the characters to be losing to . . .

 

Maybe it has a little something to do with how close their sitting on Taehyung’s bed, and he keeps getting distracted everytime Taehyung leans in closer, pressing their thighs and sometimes their shoulders together. Taehyung’s one of those people that plays video games with their whole body, so he leans forward and backwards depending on what’s happening on screen. It’s be an endearing quality if Jeongguk could keep his mind out of the gutter.

 

“I’m letting you win,” he says with a pout, biding time until his ultimate’s done charging.

 

“Aw, how cute,” Taehyung comments, reaching over to pinch Jeongguk’s cheek. “Guess you’re not as competitive as you said you were.”

 

The set of Jeongguk’s mouth twists into something petulant, and he shoves the alpha hard with the corner of his elbow. “We’ll see how cocky you are in a minute.”

 

He’s not above a bit of friendly distraction, shifting and shimmying his way over until he’s practically sprawled out over Taehyung’s lap, eyes still trained on the screen. Taehyung grumbles, tensing up until Jeongguk is done squirming around, head in his lap and hands gripping his controller. The alpha has to raise his arms a bit so he doesn’t knock Jeongguk in the face with his controller.

 

“Comfy now?”

 

“Mhm.” 

 

It’s shitty showmanship, but Jeongguk really can’t find it in himself to care. He doesn’t hesitate to wiggle around, and he knows it’s distracting enough because Taehyung gets sloppy with his playing. Therefore, Jeongguk’s team easily secures the win. He even gets play of the game, watching the re-run with a shit-eating grin on his face, blinking up into Taehyung’s face. 

 

“Now wasn’t that fun?” he coos. “What’s wrong? You look like something’s bothering you, Tae.”

 

Taehyung’s brows furrow, but Jeongguk just smiles coyly, fluttering his lashes at the alpha. “You’re a little cheater,” Taehyung mumbles, his breath puffing against Jeongguk’s cheeks. 

 

“No idea what you’re talking about.” To appease him, Jeongguk tips his face up even further so that he can easily press a lingering kiss to Taehyung’s mouth. “Didn’t know you’d be such a sore loser.”

 

Growling, Taehyung nips at Jeongguk’s lower lip with his teeth. “You’re just a  _ cheater,”  _ he snides back, jostling Jeongguk in his lap, “trying to make me lose. S’not gonna work.”

 

“Too late, already won. Nothing you can do about it.”

 

Slowly, Taehyung lowers his controller. “Then let’s play another round, yeah? We’ll see who wins then.”

 

Jeongguk’s got a sneaking suspicion that ‘another round’ isn’t really going to include Overwatch. At an equally languid pace, he rights himself, keeping his controller in one hand but using the other to prop himself up in the furs thrown over the sheets. “Yea? You’re on.”

 

Taehyung hits the controller button to start again and Jeongguk keeps himself still, set on winning the round and proving to Taehyung he isn’t  _ just  _ cheating. But when he raises his gun to shoot, suddenly Taehyung’s mouth is against his neck, one hand pulling down the side of his sweater, and he misses the shot. 

 

Jeongguk squirms when Taehyung leaves a wet kiss to the side of his neck, dragging his tongue down before he bites with his teeth and leaves a fresh hickey just underneath the collar. Jeongguk falters in the game, and so does Taehyung, but he’s not as distracted as Jeongguk and manages to surprise Jeongguk when his character is shot down first. 

 

“Oh, look at that,” Taehyung mumbles from Jeongguk’s shoulder. His husky voice sends a shiver down Jeongguk’s spine. “I won in record time.”

 

“Now  _ you’re  _ the cheater!” Jeongguk can’t help the whine that creeps into his voice, shrugging his shoulder up to his ear to protect his neck from further assaults. 

 

“Something bothering you?” Taehyung quips, repeating the same words Jeongguk had said earlier. He quickly changes sides, peppering the other side of Jeongguk’s neck with wet kisses. He sets his remote down next to him and wraps his arms around Jeongguk’s waist, fingers teasing the edge of his soft sweater. His lips move from the younger’s neck to his jaw. 

 

Refusing to give him the satisfaction of winning whatever he’s playing at, Jeongguk keeps a firm grip on his own controller. But he’d be lying if he said he was paying attention to what was happening on the screen at all. He’s much more preoccupied with the hot puffs of breath against his skin, the soft press of Taehyung’s mouth just behind his ear that makes all the hairs on his arms stand on end. 

 

“You’re the  _ worst. _ ”

 

“Whaddya gonna do about it, baby?”

 

Jeongguk shudders, anticipation coiling up in his belly. “Keep messing with me and you’ll find out.”

 

“Sounds like an empty threat.” Taehyung’s fingers dip underneath the bottom of Jeongguk’s sweater, cool palms pressing against Jeongguk’s flushed abdomen. He doesn’t move any more from there, but he twists his body enough for him to press a kiss to the corner of Jeongguk’s mouth, encouraging Jeongguk to meet him for a deeper kiss.

And he does. The game’s forgotten, left running in the background as Jeongguk parts his lips, letting Taehyung’s tongue drag across his bottom lip, curl behind his teeth and slide back so that Jeongguk has to chase after him. Somehow, he ends up straddling Taehyung’s lap, hands fisted in the alpha’s hair as they kiss slow, deep, and he can’t help the slow grind of his own hips when Taehyung’s wide palms span his waist. 

 

Taehyung’s hips rock to meet Jeongguk’s, bodies moving together, mouths chasing after one another to deepen the kiss. The friction between their jeans is somewhat uncomfortable, but sets off a fire in Jeongguk’s belly, keening and arching into Taehyung’s touch when he rubs his thumbs into the dimples of his spine. 

 

“I missed you,” the alpha whispers between their lips. His voice is a touch deeper, resonating in Jeongguk’s chest. But there’s also resolve in it, as if he’s holding something back. “Think you were the only thing on my mind when I was in rut.”

 

Emboldened by that statement, Jeongguk kisses over the curve of Taehyung’s jaw, moving south until he can drag his tongue over the curve of the alpha’s collarbone. “Mm, did you think of me like this?”

 

“I thought of you like this. . . among other things,” Taehyung admits, fingers sliding down to cup Jeongguk’s ass through his tight jeans. Squeezing. It’s possessive, spiking something in Jeongguk’s blood that makes him dizzy with  _ want.  _

 

He can guess as to what sort of other things Taehyung’s imagination might have conjured up in the throes of his rut, and there’s just enough lust curled up in the pit of his stomach to make him confident enough to try and make some of that fantasy a reality. “Did you think about me sucking you off?” There’s an innocent tilt to his head when he speaks, already tugging at the hem of Taehyung’s hoodie. 

 

A hushed breath escapes Taehyung's mouth, nostrils flaring. Jeongguk bats his lashes at him, and Taehyung squeezes again before letting go. “More than once,” he murmurs, locking eyes with Jeongguk. There's the slightest amber tinge to his irises. “Twice, maybe three times. I had a lot of time to think.”

 

“Only that many?” Jeongguk teases, shoving Taehyung’s shirt up under his armpits, then turning his attention to the button and zipper on his jeans. “I feel offended.”

 

Taehyung grabs at the rest of his hoodie, pulling it over his head and tossing it to the floor. His hair tousles, and Jeongguk pops open the button of his jeans. “You're a greedy brat,” he snips, voice thick with lust. Adjusting, he leans back, propping himself on his elbows, eyes trained on the younger. “Do you want to blow me?”

 

The pink of Jeongguk’s tongue flicks out, wetting his kiss swollen bottom lip. “Yea. If that’s okay.”

 

“I'd love it.”

 

Clumsy with eagerness, it takes Jeongguk a few tries to pull the zipper down and shimmy Taehyung’s jeans and boxers off his hips far enough that his cock kicks up against his stomach. He’s mostly hard already, a shiny bit of precum welled up at the tip. Curious, Jeongguk reaches out, spurred on by the low noise Taehyung makes as he curls his fingers around the base. 

 

Taehyung’s size is. . . well, a little daunting to say the least. Jeongguk’s fingers just wrap around the girth of it as he strokes long, but firm, working up the courage to actually put his mouth to work. Taehyung knows how to wordlessly encourage, spreading his legs a little wider, moving one hand into Jeongguk’s hair when he dips down, breath ghosting over the tip of his cock. 

 

Starting off with a few gentle, open-mouthed kisses quickly turns to using his tongue to trace patterns up and down until Taehyung’s fingers tighten in his hair. That’s when Jeongguk steels himself, parting his lips and pressing forward to rub the crown of Taehyung’s cock over the flat of his tongue, holding firm at the base with one hand so that he can gently suck and swallow around where the alpha’s most sensitive. 

 

“S-shit, Kook,” Taehyung rasps, fingers tightening closest to Jeongguk's scalp. His hips twitch, precum smearing across Jeongguk’s cheek. Jeongguk hums, suckling the tip and adding the slightest pressure with his teeth. Taehyung curses out a moan. It spurs Jeongguk on, arousal coursing through him like wildfire.

 

Enthusiastic, he swallows down as much as he can, but it’s messy and he has to use his hand to stroke what he can’t fit inside his mouth. The blissed expression on Taehyung’s face is enough to keep him focused on relaxing his jaw, trying to keep the rhythm and pressure the same even though his shoulders are starting to burn from keeping himself propped up.

 

Taehyung’s fingers tug harder, and he rocks his hips shallowly into Jeongguk’s mouth. It’s just enough for Jeongguk to gag a couple times, but there’s something about the burn of it that has pleasure twisting in his belly. He’s too messy with the excess saliva, eyes fluttered shut, and he whines when Taehyung lifts his head up by his hair. Taehyung’s cock bobs back against his abdomen and Jeongguk blinks deliriously into his face.

 

There’s a different emotion in Taehyung’s eyes. He’s seen the lust in his pupils before, but this time it’s more predatory and primal. Gold reflects in his irises and the color resembles tongues of fire. Lust drops like a heavy stone in Jeongguk’s body, and he’s feeling the urge to  _ submit _ , held frozen by Taehyung’s gaze.

 

“You’re gonna drive me crazy, Kook, I  _ swear,”  _ Taehyung exhales, sitting up and grabbing hold of Jeongguk’s shoulders. Jeongguk makes a quiet noise when Taehyung rolls him over, climbing off the bed and reaching down with fumbling fingers to remove the last articles of clothing. Jeongguk watches with half-lidded eyes as Taehyung shoves his pants down his legs and kicks them aside. He admires Taehyung’s form, head to toe, and he spreads his legs wider for the alpha. 

 

“And what are you going to do about it?” He makes a show of hooking his fingers into the hem of his sweater, yanking it over his head and emerging with his hair ruffled, lips swollen from sucking cock. 

 

“I’m gonna fuck you ‘til you cry. Make you  _ beg.”  _ Taehyung latches on to Jeongguk’s hips and yanks him roughly, Jeongguk’s back sliding against the fur blankets, ankles hooking around Taehyung’s thighs. With Jeongguk half on his lap, he quickly works on prying off Jeongguk’s tight jeans, popping open the button and sliding down the zipper. He tugs, but the tight material doesn’t want to budge without force. 

 

“Coulda made it easier for me,” the alpha growls, inching the jeans down Jeongguk’s thighs and then his knees, taking his underwear with. Finally, Taehyung tosses the jeans off the bed. His hands glide up Jeongguk’s thighs, fingers dipping into the grooves of his muscles, nails scratching lines into his skin. It makes him draw in a sharp breath, pupils blown out as his low back bows off the bed.

 

Even though he tries to stay still, Jeongguk jerks when Taehyung presses an open-mouthed kiss to the inside of his left knee, then his right. “A-And here I thought you’d appreciate those pants,” he manages to bite out, wincing at the pull in his hamstrings as the alpha pushes his legs up.

 

“I do. They’re just a  _ bitch _ to take off,” Taehyung replies, eyes wandering the expanse of Jeongguk’s body. Jeongguk can’t shy away from his stare, but he doesn’t  _ want  _ to. Seeing the way Taehyung reacts to him is erotic, makes his toes curl.

 

Taehyung reaches beyond Jeongguk, leaning over his body to dig for the lube and a condom. The bottle is right on top in his drawer, and he dribbles a generous amount over his fingers before setting it next to the condom on the dresser. Jeongguk keeps his legs bent at the knee, Taehyng’s left hand braced on his left, rubbing his fingers against Jeongguk’s perineum. Jeongguk squirms, and holds his breath when the first finger slides in with almost no resistance.

 

The alpha stops. He curls his finger experimentally, and Jeongguk keens. His nostrils flare. 

 

“Did you prep yourself earlier?”

 

Embarrassed, Jeongguk’s head thrashes against the sheets. “Come  _ on _ , Tae, just _ — _ ”

 

“You  _ did,”  _ Taehyung breathes, sinking in his finger past the knuckle. “You wanted cock that bad? Didn’t want to wait for me to prep you?” 

 

Taehyung dares to squeeze a second finger, and though there is a bit of a stretch, he knows Jeongguk fingered himself earlier or last night. He moves his hand to hold Jeongguk down flat on his stomach, fingers sinking in past the knuckle. His ring finger teases his rim as he thrusts his fingers deep. With how he’s holding Jeongguk down, he’s making him  _ take  _ it. 

 

“You don’t want three?”

 

“Want _ you _ .” There’s no way to keep the whine out of his voice. “Wanna ride you.”

 

Taehyung’s throat bobs and he relents, removing his fingers with a squelch. His hands twitch, and he pushes off Jeongguk’s body to roll over on the bed. He situates himself next to Jeongguk, eyes watching with a thick haze as Jeongguk sits up and twists around. Taehyung snatches the foil wrapper from the drawer next to the bed and gives it to Jeongguk, hands returning to the fur blankets underneath him, fingers curling in the material.

 

“M’all yours.”

 

Eager, Jeongguk tears the condom wrapper open with his teeth, moving with liquid grace until he straddles Taehyung. His knees dig into the bed on either side of the alpha’s hips as he quickly rolls the condom on. He tries to steady his breath to keep his hands from shaking, but from the smirk on Taehyung’s face, it isn’t working. 

 

He’s grateful when Taehyung reaches out and settles his wide hands over his hips. It helps to keep him grounded when he shuffles forward, reaches back, and slowly sinks down with a muffled groan behind his lips. His chin drops to his chest, palms pressed against the hard plane of Taehyung’s abdomen as his cock splits him open. 

 

Taehyung’s mouth parts in a silent groan as he helps to guide Jeongguk down, fingernails digging into his soft skin. Jeongguk is slow to sink down, Taehyung’s girth stretching him wide, and a quiet sob leaves his lips when he sits in Taehyung’s lap. His body trembles from the initial twinge of pain, but with each passing second, pleasure washes over him like a burning wave. 

 

“There you go,” Taehyung murmurs his praise, teeth digging into his lower lip. “So fucking pretty. Feels like  _ heaven. _ ” 

 

“Tae—“ Jeongguk chokes out, curling his fingertips against the broad expanse of the alpha’s chest. His rib cage feels tight, bottom lip trembling until he pulls it back between his teeth. 

 

Taehyung rubs small, soothing circles into his sides with his thumbs until Jeongguk adjusts, experimentally rolling his hips and gasping at the friction. In return, Taehyung groans, managing to keep his patience, but he's barely holding on by a thread. Jeongguk can see it in his eyes.

 

It takes a moment for Jeongguk to build a rhythm. His thighs tense and contract as he lifts himself up, a soft noise at the back of his throat when he feels himself spread wide on just Taehyung’s cockhead, smoothly sinking back down all the way until the backs of his thighs slap against Taehyung’s hips. He can take him  _ deeper _ this way, squirming as his body tries to accommodate the stretch even though he’s already greedy for more. 

 

Taehyung's head flops against the pillows, eyes trained on Jeongguk and his body. His thighs tense and his abdomen clenches when he lifts up and rocks down a second time, the slide becoming easier the more he does it. The alpha grips tighter to Jeongguk, nails scraping from his thighs to his slim waist. 

 

“God, I've wanted to fuck you all  _ week,” _ Taehyung comments through slightly gritted teeth. His own legs shift, spread wider, and Jeongguk whines when he bucks his hips up once to meet him on the slam down. “Couldn't stop thinking about it.”

 

Jeongguk curses, bounces even harder, desperate in a way that he hasn’t felt in a long time. It’s the fact that Taehyung thought about  _ him _ during his rut that spurs him on, that punches those needy, wet gasps out of his chest every time he bottoms out in Taehyung’s lap. His legs shake with the strain, finally bracing himself on both palms instead so that Taehyung can fuck up into the tight, hot clench of his body instead. 

 

And Taehyung does, hands grappling for Jeongguk's ass and squeezing hard as he guides their movements. Jeongguk bounces on his lap, and Taehyung thrusts his hips up, keeping a steady pace. The sound of their skin slapping together mixes with Taehyung's low growls and Jeongguk's whining gasps, and Jeongguk has never been more glad that nobody is home to hear him. 

 

His abdomen clenches with an impending orgasm. He jolts, white flashing behind his lids and a desperate cry leaving his lips when Taehyung rocks in  _ deep _ , angling his hips so that his cock rubs incessantly against his prostate. 

 

“O-oh, fuck—“ he swears, the muscles in his back beginning to lock up. “M’gonna cum,  _ Tae _ , m’gonna cum—“

 

It happens before he can make any other noise; Taehyung bares his teeth and bucks up hard enough that it throws off Jeongguk’s center of balance and they flip. A noise like a sob tears out of Jeongguk’s throat as he blinks up with wet eyes, shaking with how close he just was. Taehyung readjusts, but instead of sliding back into Jeongguk’s tight heat, he leans over his body and wraps his hand around Jeongguk's weeping cock.

 

“Not yet,” the alpha rasps, the tone borderline a command, fist firm around Jeongguk. Edging him. “You’re not gonna cum, not yet.” 

 

Jeongguk swallows down the lump in his throat, trembling as he nods. “Please,” begging isn’t something he’s used to, but there’s nothing else he can do except to dig his nails into the round of Taehyung’s shoulders and fruitlessly let his hips twitch.

 

Instead of answering Jeongguk's plea, Taehyung dips down and placates him with an open-mouthed kiss, taking his lower lip between his teeth and tugging. Jeongguk’s lips part and he moans quietly between their kiss, eyes fluttering when it ends and Taehyung licks a fat stripe along the side of his throat. It's  _ animalistic  _ how Taehyung does it, growling and sucking hickeys into his skin. He's staking his claim, declaring Jeongguk is  _ his _ , and nobody else can have him. It fills Jeongguk with need, craving a desire unlike any he's felt before. 

 

The initial throbbing of an orgasm fades but Taehyung still doesn't let Jeongguk go, even when he nips at his swollen lips and pulls away to adjust their position. He pushes down on one of Jeongguk's thighs until Jeongguk brings both legs towards his chest, hamstrings burning from the stretch. It's only then that Taehyung releases him. 

 

“Just like that, baby,” Taehyung murmurs, guiding his cock back into the heat of Jeongguk's body. His toes curl and he whines, Taehyung sliding in to the hilt with ease. Jeongguk's legs twitch, and he shudders when Taehyung bends him more so he can place his hands on Jeongguk's shoulders and essentially pin him down against the bed. He pulls out halfway and slams forward hard enough for Jeongguk's spine to arch off the bed, shuddering gasp forced out of his lungs. 

 

“Does it feel good, Kook? You like when I fuck you this way?” 

 

With his chest pulled so tight he can barely breathe, all Jeongguk can do is try to nod, but the motion’s more jerky than before. There’s no way he can get any sort of friction in this position, and he’s so so hard that it’s borderline overwhelming every time Taehyung snaps his hips. 

 

“ _ M-more.” _

 

Taehyung only snaps his hips faster, harder, the air punching out of Jeongguk in quick gasps and whimpers. Tears threaten to well up in the corner of his eyes, back bowing off the bed. The alpha slams into him and he presses down with his hands on Jeongguk's shoulders. He's close, ragged breath tearing from his throat, hips angled just right to hit his prostate.

 

Desperate for something to ground him, Jeongguk clutches at Taehyung’s wrists with both hands, squeezing his eyes shut so tightly that single tears stream from the corners. His whole body shakes, but the arch in his spine doesn’t dip until he tries rocking up to smear the head of his cock against the divots of Taehyung’s stomach. 

 

Taehyung moves to shift his hands when Jeongguk grabs his wrists, one placed right against his chest between his collarbones. He lifts his hand, but as he does, Jeongguk snatches it back and places it right at the base of his throat, teary eyes flickering up to the alpha’s face. Jeongguk doesn't even know what it is that he wants, but the pressure against his neck has him dizzy with pleasure, so submissive under the alpha _ — _

 

“ _ Fuck, _ ” Taehyung snarls, adjusting his grip, and Jeongguk keeps his hand there on his throat. “ _ Fuck _ , you _ — _ ”

 

Jeongguk opens his mouth, but no words come out. The pressure of Taehyung’s hand around his throat heightens every sense, all the muscles in his body going slack as the oxygen traveling to his brain slows. Stars dance in the corners of his eyes, black dots that make the pink of his tongue loll out of his mouth as Taehyung fucks him harder. 

 

He cums like that, shaking and spasming in Taehyung’s hands with the alpha’s name on his lips.

 

The pressure lessens and soon all disappears when Taehyung sits up, grasping Jeongguk at the knee as he suddenly pulls out. Jeongguk sees through a haze, watching Taehyung rip off the condom and cum over Jeongguk's belly and inner thighs. The alpha's body shakes, hips rocking to ride out the rest of his orgasm, uttering Jeongguk's name under his breath. Hot cum sticks to Jeongguk’s abdomen, streaked across his thighs, simply a mess. 

 

They're both out of breath. Taehyung pants, slowly lowering Jeongguk's legs and sliding between them. Jeongguk lies boneless on the bed and lazily reaches out to hold Taehyung when he rolls on top and kisses him on the mouth.

 

“Shit, Kook,” Taehyung sighs, burrowing against Jeongguk's neck. Ignoring the mess that's now smeared on his own body. 

 

Using what feels like the last of his strength, Jeongguk wraps his arms around Taehyung’s shoulders and waist, tucking his chin onto the top of his hair. “Same.”

 

Now Taehyung is cooling down, the burning amber in his eyes gradually fading into his usual chocolate brown color. The post-rut frenzy sizzles within him now that he's satiated.

 

“I wasn't too rough?” The alpha asks, eyes flickering down to the red splotches on Jeongguk's throat.

 

“No,” Jeongguk assures him, eyes still closed. “I. . . I liked it.”

 

“I missed you, Kook,” Taehyung murmurs, reaching down to tug at the fur blankets now scrunched up at the end of the bed. He covers their bodies with it, despite the mess between them. 

 

“Missed you too, Taehyungie,” Jeongguk barely manages to mumble, still blissed out from the high and warm with the alpha’s body covering his own. “Missed you so much.”

 

Taehyung’s heart swells and he pecks Jeongguk on the cheek. “Go ahead and sleep, we’ll clean up tomorrow. You did amazing.”

 

Jeongguk curls against Taehyung’s chest and just like that, sleep comes to him easily when he’s wrapped in the alpha’s arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bet you weren't expecting that ;)
> 
> /whispers/ Jeongguk is secretly a little hoe 
> 
> Stuff begins to happen after this chapter, and there should only be about 3 left! AH! Hold on because it gets bumpy after this (sorry not sorry)
> 
> Follow our [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas) and feel free to leave messages on our Curious Cat as well (link is there!) Please keep showing the fic love, it keeps us going <3


	15. XV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m not telling you,” he speaks slowly, forcing himself to looks Jiyong in the eye. “If you want them so bad, then you can find them yourself.”
> 
> Tao and Seokjin audibly inhale, stunned. Jeongguk hopes that no one can tell how tight his chest feels, how hard it is for him to draw in a full breath. He can’t give up the pack, can’t give up Taehyung.
> 
> Jiyong’s eyes widen and the Daegu hunters are all fuming, brows pinched and lips set. His chest heaves, and his face twitches, voice low when he speaks again.
> 
> “Then so be it. If you want it this way, then we will play your little game, Jeon Jeongguk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another double update for you! Only one real chapter left :x (Ch 17 is the Epilogue!)
> 
> This is obviously going to be angsty and it's going to be really fast paced, but enjoy! :)

After taking a shower together, Taehyung and Jeongguk sit around to play Overwatch until the afternoon, when Jeongguk realizes he should be getting home. They tidy up the bedroom and pass by the pack, most of whom they shared breakfast with hours earlier. This time, the two had sat at the table with everyone else, and enjoyed their meal before retreating to Taehyung’s bedroom. Jeongguk fumbles around on their way out and the others, specifically Baekhyun and Jimin, asks if he’s alright with full knowledge of what the two did last night while the pack was out for the night. Even Taehyung has to poke fun at Jeongguk. 

 

Saying goodbye, they hop into the Jeep and drive back into the city. They hold hands over the center console. 

 

“Sometime, Kookie, you’ll have to spend a weekend with us. Maybe when we go for a pack run,” Taehyung hums, fingers tapping against the steering wheel. 

 

Jeongguk shifts, recrossing his legs one over the other. “They wouldn’t mind?”

 

“Yoongi took Jimin out on one of our runs, we didn’t really mind. As long as  _ you _ don’t mind being around a bunch of naked men.”

 

The laugh that Jeongguk hides behind his free hand is more adorable than it should be. “What are they like? The runs, I mean.”

 

“Mm, they connect us with our true nature. The one time we can freely be wolves. It’s also a bonding experience, something all of us can relate to even though we’re all different in personalities and what we like or don’t like. Runs connect the pack. Also, helps to stretch our muscles. A good workout.”

 

He wouldn’t have a problem with taking Jeongguk out on a run; after all, Jimin witnessed one after he started dating Yoongi, and he doesn’t see why Jeongguk shouldn’t watch. It can be seen as an intimate event to some, and while it does in fact bring the pack together, it’s not as if Jeongguk would be wronged for witnessing a run. 

 

“I’d probably just be in the way,” Jeongguk says quietly. His face is turned to look out the window as they enter the highway. If Taehyung didn’t know any better, he’d say he seems nervous. And maybe he is. He’s handled the news of the pack’s true nature better than he could have hoped for. There’s bound to be some sort of hesitation somewhere.

 

“I’m sure you won’t be,” Taehyung responds softly, tracing patterns over the back of Jeongguk’s hand. The conversation lulls even as they arrive in the city, the directions to Jeongguk’s neighborhood simply motor memory by now. The radio keeps noise in the Jeep, but they’re overall quiet when Taehyung pulls over on the curb at their usual meeting spot.

 

He parks the car and glances around as Jeongguk is retrieving his things from the back seat. There’s something. . . off, about the neighborhood right now, a strange but somehow familiar scent that makes his nose twitch and scrunch. It makes him bristle. 

 

“Do you want me to walk you to your door? Wherever your house is?”

 

Come to think of it, Taehyung’s never seen Jeongguk’s house. He doesn’t even know  _ which one  _ it is. He’s never cared much about it before, but if he and Jeongguk are dating—

 

But Jeongguk’s already got his seatbelt off and his bag in hand. He leans over the center console and presses a kiss to the pout of Taehyung’s mouth. “It’s okay. It’s nice out and I don’t mind walking. It’s all the way down the end of the street. I’ll see you Monday?”

 

Taehyung blinks and nods. Before Jeongguk can leave, however, he leans forward and kisses Jeongguk again, sweetly on the lips. “Okay, Kookie. I’ll see you Monday.” 

 

The Jeep door easily swings open and the closed as Jeongguk steps out onto the pavement, but he stops and waits for Taehyung to put the car back into gear. As he pulls away, Jeongguk waves and smiles at him, hiking his bag up over his shoulder. Taehyung watches him through the rear view mirror as he takes off down the sidewalk with a bounce in his step.

 

Reluctantly, Taehyung tears his eyes away, gnawing on his lower lip. He’s feeling antsy, and he thinks it best if he leaves before he feels any worse. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Inside, Jeongguk is torn between being anxious and feeling over the moon. He’s kicking himself now for not coming clean with Taehyung when he had the opportunity, and now the weight of the secret he’s keep weighs heavier with each step that he takes. On the other hand, he’s also the happiest he’s been in a long time. Taehyung makes him smile like no one else has, and if he was brave enough to admit it to himself, he might even say that he was falling in love.

 

But as soon as he steps into the driveway of the Kim house, unease crawls up his spine and settles somewhere thick in the base of his throat. 

 

There’s two unfamiliar cars parked in the driveway again. Which can’t be a good thing.

 

He’s quiet as he tiptoes up the front stairs, gentle as he opens the front door and squeezes himself inside. His shoes are barely toed off his feet before he hears the sound of someone clearing their throat from inside the kitchen.

 

“Jeongguk, come here.”

 

It’s Seokjin’s voice, and from the tone of it, he’s serious. 

 

There isn’t any way to stop the way his heart starts to beat faster, so all Jeongguk can do is hope that he doesn’t look as nervous as he feels. Even through the archway into the kitchen he can see that Jiyong is here, along with Seunghyun, Youngbae, Seungri, and Daesung. 

 

This doesn’t bode well at all. 

 

Sehun and Tao are even sitting off to the left of the kitchen island, and Namjoon is leaned up against the counters by the sink with his arms over his chest. No one looks particularly happy, except for Jiyong, who regards Jeongguk with an easy smile as he steps properly into the kitchen.

 

“Oh, Jeongguk-ah, there you are. We were just talking about you.”

 

“You. . . were?” Jeongguk looks around at everyone else, hesitant to meet Jiyong’s eyes. 

 

Jiyong doesn’t respond directly. “We were waiting for you to come home.”

 

Seokjin interjects. He’s nervous, shuffling close to Namjoon, fingers tapping against his arms. “Where have you been, Jeongguk?”

 

“A friend’s,” he’s quick to reply, trying to keep his spine as straight as possible. It’s not a lie, but when Sehun snorts under his breath, all eyes focus on him instead.

 

“Your friend gave you those?” Sehun asks, eyes zeroed in on the bit of skin that’s showing over the collar of Jeongguk’s hoodie.

 

Guilty, Jeongguk shrugs his shoulders up. His chest is hot. “I—”

 

“Tell the truth, Jeongguk,” Namjoon speaks up, lips set in a straight line. “Please.”

 

“I was at Jimin’s,” he can’t lie to Namjoon, not to his face, but he can try and omit certain details while Jiyong is in the room. Already, he doesn’t like this line of questioning. He feels like everyone already  _ knows _ where he was and what he was doing. No fucking thanks to Sehun.

 

The kitchen grows quiet, awkwardly so, until Seunghyun speaks. He’s not much of a talker, but he’s intimidating. 

 

“Enough of that,” he rumbles, thick brows pinching in the center of his forehead. “Let’s cut to the chase. Were you at the werewolf den, Jeongguk? Don’t lie. We know about your little  _ surveillance  _ mission, and we’re concerned it’s gone too far.”

 

For a split second, Jeongguk looks to Seokjin and Namjoon. Seokjin’s bottom lip is between his teeth, and from the hard set of Namjoon’s face, Seunghyun is telling the truth.

 

There’s no point in lying. “I was. But they’re not. . . they’re not dangerous,” he stumbles over his words, trying to explain. “Two of them are my friends. They’re not hurting anyone.”

 

“They are  _ werewolves,”  _ Seungri enunciates, exasperated. “They have uncontrollable instincts. You think they’re harmless, until one day they aren’t. They’re not like us, Jeongguk.”

 

“I’m very surprised you’ve even gotten close to them, and that they haven’t found out about you. For that, I applaud you. But to outright befriend them and. . . and have a  _ relationship  _ with one. . .” Jiyong purses his lips. “I would have thought different. Especially because of what werewolves did to your parents—”

 

Ignoring the sting of judgement, Jeongguk refuses to back down. “I  _ know.  _ But they’re not doing anything wrong. I would know if they’d hurt anyone!”

 

“Min Yoongi is a part of that pack, correct?” Seunghyun glares at Jeongguk. From the other side of the kitchen, Seokjin exhales shakily. “Do you know about his past?”

 

He knows what Jimin has told him. “I know that. . . they came to Seoul for a fresh start. That Yoongi wanted to get away from his old pack. That he didn’t want to be part of the fighting and killing—“

 

“He only didn’t want to be in the pack anymore because he was shamed for his ‘weakness.’ You think he  _ wasn’t  _ a part of it? He was part of the pack that killed  _ your _ parents.”

 

Namjoon opens his mouth to speak, to protest, but Seokjin tugs at his sleeve in silent protest. There’s nothing they can do.

 

Seunghyun continues with a snarl. “That  _ mongrel  _ was supposed to kill  _ you.  _ He was going to murder you, just like his pack members did to your parents.”

 

Jeongguk feels himself sway on his feet, can’t help the fact that his mouth drops open. There’s a lot from that day that he’d blocked out. His mother telling him to run and hide, tripping over his own two feet to try and get to safety, coming face to face with the bared teeth of a golden eyed wolf’s muzzle—

 

“But— but he  _ didn’t.”  _ he protests. But from the look in Namjoon’s eyes, the way Seokjin won’t meet his gaze: they both knew. They both  _ knew _ and they didn’t tell him. “Not one of them has tried to hurt me! Yoongi, he’s mated now. He’s not like that!”

 

“A werewolf doesn’t change. They’re always a werewolf. Yoongi was born with that instinct, and so were all of the others. Even if you say he’s different, the fact remains that he has  _ crimes  _ to answer to, one of them including attempted murder on a  _ child.  _ He is a danger to our society. All of them are.”

 

“I knew it was a bad idea to let him do this,” Sehun mutters. “You got so wrapped up in those dogs that you’ve been slacking in your hunter duties. Tao and I had to try and handle that rugaru on our own because you ran off. The damn thing  _ bit  _ him—“

 

Tao’s shoulder is bandaged, clearly causing him discomfort. Guilt settles cold and heavy in the pit of Jeongguk’s stomach. He’s been so caught up in the whirlwind of emotions that being with Taehyung brings that he  _ has _ neglected parts of being a hunter. And now Tao’s the one paying for it. 

 

“I’m sorry,” he says quietly, curling his toes into the soles of his boots. “But— Things can be different. If you would just  _ listen _ —“

 

“You’ve been neglecting your duties, Jeongguk,” Youngbae warns. “And you’ve strayed from the hunter code. You’re not even a full fledged hunter but you’ve gone beyond simple surveillance, taking on something far too difficult. . . it’s a shame that the Jeon line has to end like this.”

 

Jiyong clears his throat. There’s no longer a hint of a smile on his face. Just. . . disappointment. “Where do they live, Jeongguk? We need to bring Min Yoongi to justice and remove the pack before someone  _ really  _ gets hurt.”

 

Would his parents really be ashamed of him if they were still alive? The Jeons had built their legacy on being protectors, and that’s  _ exactly  _ what Jeongguk decides to do. 

 

“I’m not telling you,” he speaks slowly, forcing himself to looks Jiyong in the eye. “If you want them so bad, then you can find them yourself.”

 

Tao and Seokjin audibly inhale, stunned. Jeongguk hopes that no one can tell how tight his chest feels, how hard it is for him to draw in a full breath. He  _ can’t  _ give up the pack, can’t give up  _ Taehyung _ .

 

Jiyong’s eyes widen and the Daegu hunters are all fuming, brows pinched and lips set. His chest heaves, and his face twitches, voice low when he speaks again.

 

“Then so be it. If you want it this way, then we will play your little game, Jeon Jeongguk.”

 

The air is tense and thick as the Daegu hunters file out of the kitchen one by one without another word. There is nothing else to be said, nothing else to convince Jeongguk otherwise. Jeongguk steps aside and watches them leave, catching Daesung glancing over his shoulder at him before they exit wordlessly. When the front door shuts behind them, silence still engulfs the kitchen. 

 

It’s only then that Jeongguk realizes he’s shaking. Never in his life had he thought he would stand up to another hunter, outright refuse to help them—

 

“You’ve done it now,” Sehun says with a sigh. His chair scrapes across the tile floor when he pushes it back to stand. “You should know better than to piss off Jiyong hyung.”

 

Jeongguk ignores him, forcing his bottom lip not to wobble when he fixes his gaze on Seokjin, then Namjoon. “You  _ knew. _ ”

 

Seokjin and Namjoon can’t meet his gaze. They’re ashamed. 

 

“We never wanted you to know,” Seokjin whispers, and Sehun and Tao make their exit, leaving the three of them in the kitchen. Namjoon has his arms folded across his chest. “You could have done something rash if we had told you.”

 

And maybe, if Jeongguk hadn’t been so entirely enamored by Taehyung, he might have been able to read between the lines. It only made sense that Yoongi would be involved with the bloodbath in Daegu, but he’d never thought it would have hit so close to home. “That’s why you wanted me to keep this a secret, isn’t it?” his words are cold. “You knew that Jiyong would tell me.”

 

“No, we didn’t. We didn’t want you to know  _ because  _ you were around Yoongi, not Jiyong. We. . . never thought he’d admit that to you.”

 

Ever since Seunghyun told him the truth, Jeongguk’s been waiting for the old, white hot rage to blossom again in his chest or maybe his stomach. . . but it never comes. He’s just. . . tired, and scared, and he knows now that he has to tell Taehyung about everything.

 

“I’m. . . going to my room,” he says flatly, already reaching for the phone in his back pocket so that he can pull up his chat with Taehyung.

 

Namjoon steps forward. “Jeongguk, maybe we should talk about this-—”

 

“I’m done talking for today,” Jeongguk snaps. It’s one of the first times he’s spoken to Namjoon like this, and their leader is clearly taken aback since he doesn’t protest when Jeongguk leaves the kitchen without a backward glance.

 

He avoids Sehun and Tao’s room, instead making a beeline for his own while he taps out a message for Taehyung. All it says it that he has something important to tell him. It’s going to be better to do this in person. And quite frankly the idea of coming clean makes Jeongguk nauseous. But Taehyung did just drop him off, so he probably isn’t even home yet to check his phone.

 

It’s not like he’s going to be productive with anything else for tonight, but he makes a show of taking out a few of his textbooks and scattering them around the bed after he flops onto his mattress. He can’t concentrate on any of the words on the pages, letting the minutes tick by while his phone’s screen remains stubbornly dark.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Taehyung makes it home twenty minutes later and the uneasy feeling he had when dropping Jeongguk off has now disappeared. It does bug him, not knowing what made him so anxious all of a sudden, but he’s home now and Jeongguk’s scent calms him in the car and in the house.

 

He kicks off his shoes and enters the living room, flopping down on the couch and rubbing his eyes. It’s then that he realizes he hasn’t had coffee, so he groans and gets up from the couch, thanking Minseok who says that he brewed another fresh pot before Taehyung left.

 

Grabbing a mug from the counter, he fills it with coffee and creamer before taking a sip. As he drinks his coffee, Jimin and Luhan stride into the kitchen, Jimin from his room and Luhan from the living room. 

 

“Where’s Yoongi?” Taehyung decides to ask, but then he follows up with a broader question. “And where did you all go last night?”

 

“Oh, you know,  _ out _ ,” Jimin says as he opens the fridge and roots around inside. “Yoongi said he had something to do in the city this morning. He left just after you did.” He emerges from behind the fridge door with a bowl of cut up strawberries. “But, what I’m more interested in is how  _ your _ night went last night?”

 

Brief flashes of last night run through Taehyung’s mind and he tries to hide his grin through his coffee mug. “Mm, good. We had fun.”

 

Luhan wrinkles his nose at the two of them, reaching into Jimin’s bowl as he passes by for a handful of strawberries. “ _ Please _ , I’m eating.”

 

Undeterred, Jimin’s eyes sparkle with mischief. “Fun, you say? Why do I feel like you’re not just talking about Overwatch?”

 

Taehyung sets his mug down and reaches for a strawberry. “ ‘Cuz I’m not. But we did have fun with Overwatch, though.”

 

The front door opens then clicks closed, and by the way Jimin visibly straightens and looks out into the entry way, it’s Yoongi. The dark haired alpha steps into the kitchen with his mouth set into a firm straight line, eyes fixed firmly on Taehyung’s.

 

“We need to talk.”

 

Luhan promptly exits the kitchen —probably wanting to avoid being growled at again— and Taehyung swallows his strawberry, nose scrunching. “About what?”

 

Jimin can sense the tension, leaving his bowl of strawberries on the counter so he can approach his mate, but Yoongi waves him off. “About who I saw coming out of your human’s house.”

 

Taehyung tilts his head. “What are you talking about?”

 

“I’ve had a bad feeling all week after that hunter spotted us, so I followed you both into the city. And I knew something wasn’t right, but I didn’t think I was going to see Kwon Jiyong walking out of his house.”

 

At the mention of the name, Taehyung freezes. He’s focused on Yoongi following them without his knowledge but Jiyong. . .

 

“You. . . you don’t even know where he lives. I’m sure it was the wrong house,” Taehyung stammers, saliva building in his throat, blood pumping faster. “There’s no reason—”

 

“I followed him after he got out of your car,” Yoongi says cooly, “since you’ve been too much of an idiot to not even see where he lives.” His phone’s in his hand, and he sets in on the counter in front of Taehyung. The screen displays a photo that’s clearly of Jeongguk; he’s halfway up the steps to a large, white front door. “Go on. See for yourself.”

 

Taehyung hesitantly pushes away from the counter and grabs Yoongi’s phone. His fingers are beginning to shake after he swipes the screen, and the hurt and realization hits him in the stomach  _ hard.  _ He feels like he’s just been punched by a brick wall, eyes scanning the photo. There, clear as day, are the Daegu hunters they’ve evaded for so long at the large white door Jeongguk had entered only photos before. There’s Jiyong, Seunghyun, Seungri—

 

“No, no this  _ can’t—” _

 

Even Jimin looks on, horrified.

 

“You know something else I found out?” Yoongi continues. “Do you even know that kid’s last name?”

 

It takes more than a few seconds for Taehyung’s mouth to open, for him to form words, bile rising in his throat. “Jeon,” he rasps, and even as he utters the word, he already knows why Yoongi asked. Everyone knows the Jeon line of hunters, and if Jeongguk is  _ really  _ what Yoongi is implying—

 

“Oh my god,” Taehyung whispers hoarsely.

 

Yoongi scoffs, “And you didn’t  _ think _ to check in on the background of a kid with the same fucking family name that almost single handedly obliterated our pack?”

 

“Yoongi—“ Jimin begins, reaching out to place his hand on the alpha’s forearm. 

 

“ _ No _ , Jimin, he needs to wake the fuck up.”

 

Taehyung blinks back angry tears, turning on Yoongi. “You expect me to do something like that? It’s just a last name that anyone could have! What—what  _ reason  _ would I have had?!” He’s on the verge of yelling and by now, the rest of the pack is in earshot. The alpha intakes a shuddery breath. “He was the kid you were supposed to kill, wasn’t he? _ ” _

 

“Yes,” Yoongi says simply. “Didn’t recognize him until I made the connection. But now I’m wondering if maybe I  _ should _ have now that we’re in this fucking mess.”

 

Out of all the emotions brewing inside Taehyung, anger, regret, despair, the one that hits him the most is  _ betrayed.  _ He had risked it, telling Jeongguk who he was, who all of them were, putting himself in his most vulnerable position only to have Jeongguk lie this entire time. He’s known all along what he was; and he also knows where they are, how many are in the pack, and whatever else they’ve revealed to Jeongguk the past couple months. 

 

But one thing bothers him the most:

 

_ Were Jeongguk’s feelings for him genuine? _

 

“He can’t be like the others,” Taehyung murmurs, holding back the hot tears that blur the corners of his vision. “He’s not. . . a killer. He  _ can’t be.” _

 

_ “ _ He’s been  _ lying _ to you!” Yoongi spits, slamming both of his palms down on the counter top. “You think he didn’t know what he was doing? Caught him snooping around the first night he was here, and he probably went right back to those _ fucks _ and told them everything! He manipulated you, Taehyung, and it was a great act but you need to face the facts and decide what we’re going to do to protect this pack. You’re supposed to protect  _ us _ not  _ him _ .”

 

Reality comes crashing down on Taehyung all at once and it’s too much to bear, what with Yoongi berating him and the rest of the pack peeking into the kitchen with concerned expressions. His heart is torn in two; deep down, he believes that Jeongguk has changed over time, that his feelings aren’t a facade, but the truth of it all is that the pack is now in danger because of the Daegu hunters. They’ve been searching for them, for  _ Yoongi,  _ for years, and now they might know where they’re located. The threat is all too real and Taehyung can’t ignore it, no matter how heartbroken he is about Jeongguk. He’s the leader, and he’s supposed to protect his pack against anything that comes their way, and that includes Jeongguk. 

 

Taehyung takes a deep breath and surveys the room. Jimin has tears in his eyes, overwhelmed that the kid he has been friends with for the past year has manipulated him and Taehyung as a hunter. The others are worried, bunched close together, and Yoongi stares pointedly at him, demanding an answer. 

 

“We. . . we need to be ready,” he croaks, swallowing the bitterness in his voice. He’s the alpha. They’re depending on him, all of them. “For anyone. We can’t let them chase us out again, not when we’ve all settled down here. I’ll fight to keep everyone safe, but I can’t do it alone. We all need to do whatever it takes to stay here.”

 

“It’s only a matter of time before they come for us here,” Yoongi agreed, placated by the fact that Taehyung seems to be finding his wits. “You gonna be ready to do what needs to be done?”

 

“Don’t make this about me,” Taehyung mutters, wiping at his eyes as he shoves his way out of the kitchen disparingly. “We’ll all be ready.” 

 

 

* * *

 

 

The only thing that pulls Jeongguk out of his room is his rumbling stomach. His phone is still dark, no notifications and it worries him. If he doesn’t hear from Taehyung soon. . . he’s going to have to take matters into his own hands. 

 

The kitchen, which he’d hoped to find deserted, has pretty much everyone in it, including Seokjin and Namjoon. Stubbornly, he refuses to look at anyone, still seething about what had happened earlier even if he can feel their stares. 

 

There’s some sort of stew on the stovetop, still warm. So Jeongguk grabs a bowl and carefully ladles some out. He had planned on coming for dinner and then leaving, but the other have opposite plans.

 

“Don’t let it get to you, Jeongguk,” Kris speaks up, for once being in the house and not away on business in China. “We’re all doing our job here.”

 

Luna, sitting at the dinner table, tries to smile at Jeongguk. Her voice is soft when she speaks, calm. “Do you love that alpha, Kook?”

 

The room stills. She takes a different route, one that nobody has dared to attempt, and the others in the room seem to have not even entertained the idea that Jeongguk is protective of the pack because he's in love with the alpha, not because they're his friends. 

 

Namjoon straightens, Sehun wrinkles his nose, and Tao drops his fork. Everyone stares expectantly at Jeongguk, but Luna is the only one who isn't putting pressure on him, staring with her kind eyes and upturned lips. 

 

“You  _ can't  _ be serious—” Sehun hisses with malice, about to go on a tangent, but Tao grabs his shoulder and Amber glares at him.

 

“That's nothing to be ashamed of,” Luna cuts Sehun off. “If you love him, you love him. That's worth fighting for.”

 

With his bowlful of stew clutched in both hands, Jeongguk can feel the tops of his cheeks start to burn. He’d always been so adamant about hating werewolves, but Luna’s question makes him realize that, yea, he might be a little bit in love with Taehyung. 

 

“I wasn’t supposed to,” he says finally. “But— I don’t know. I’m scared. They really aren’t hurting anyone. I don’t want Jiyong to find them.”

 

“They will, but you can stop him from hurting them,” Namjoon speaks, and Jeongguk turns his eyes to the leader. “He has his resources. They’re bound to find the pack within the next day, hell, they may have already found them. If you really want to save the pack, then I’m not going to stop you. This is my fault; I should have never put you on an assignment like this. Now we’re all facing the repercussions.”

 

It’s a good thing Yezi isn't here. She’d probably have a lot to say on this subject, and Jeongguk is already struggling enough as it is. 

 

“Thanks, hyung,” it’s what he figures he should say. “I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s my fault,” Namjoon admits selflessly, “for putting you up to it. Now you’ve grown feelings for one of them and—”

 

He pauses, shaking his head. “It’s not fair. Jin and I know they’re not dangerous, because if they were, we’d have seen it, and we would have taken matters into our own hands if you told us one of them hurt you.”

 

Seokjin rubs Namjoon’s shoulders in comfort, one finger tracing along the scar on his face. “Yoongi did this to Joonie. We were the ones sent to retrieve him and bring him back to Daegu but. . . we let Yoongi go. He wasn’t the cold-hearted killer they made him out to be. Jiyong shunned us and we moved here, and it’s like wherever we go, Yoongi goes. I believe you when you say he’s different, he’s probably had a lot of time to grow. We have too.”

 

The two have never really shared the real reasons of why they left Daegu. To discover that they know Yoongi  _ personally  _ strikes Jeongguk to the core. They allowed Jeongguk to infiltrate knowing that Yoongi was a part of the pack, that he may be dangerous, but they held enough trust in Jeongguk  _ and _ in Yoongi for something bad to not happen. Jeongguk never viewed it this way before.

 

“If you’re going to stop them, Jeongguk, you’ll need help. I, personally, want to get back at Jiyong for the embarrassment he caused Joon and I, but I also don’t want you to actually get hurt by whatever might happen.”

 

“I won’t get hurt. I can take care of myself, and I’ll. . . I’ll make the pack understand. I’ll tell them that Jiyong is coming, maybe I can help them.” It sounds so silly to say out loud that Jeongguk almost laughs at himself. A hunter helping werewolves defend themselves against other hunters? “And Jin hyung, I might need to use your car.”

 

Seokjin smiles. “Take whatever you need, Jeongguk. Anything that will help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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	16. XVI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There hasn’t been an awkward feeling between them in a long time. They’ve both fallen into a natural pattern with one another, but they’re out of tune, and fumble with being near each other. Jeongguk wonders if Taehyung can hear his erratic heartbeat.

Jeongguk’s palms sweat the entire drive. 

 

One, because he’s nervous. He’s had his license for a little while  In fact, he even passed his driver’s test in Jin’s little Kia and it’s the car he’s most comfortable driving. He just doesn’t do it often enough. Also, for the amount of times that he’s actually been to the hanok, he doesn’t have the exact address or really know the directions, so he can only hope he doesn’t get hopelessly lost in the middle of the night. 

 

Two, Taehyung still hasn’t responded to his text, and that’s probably the real reason that Jeongguk feels so anxious. Is he too late? Will he get to the hanok and find it empty?

 

Before he had left home, Namjoon and Seokjin had left first. As soon as dinner ended with everyone in the living room, they grabbed their things and ran out, telling Jeongguk they were going to ask for help. Everyone else would be on standby until the two said otherwise. Jeongguk is clueless about where they had gone, felt a little uneasy about them venturing outside after the bad blood with the Daegu hunters, but Namjoon and Seokjin know what they’re doing. They always have.

 

Somehow, he finds the hanok in almost complete darkness, cars all still parked by the front of the house. Taehyung’s Jeep is here, so is Yoongi’s. It doesn’t look like there’s been a struggle, but Jeongguk’s still cautious as he puts the Kia in park and slowly opens the car door. There’s a knife in his boot, and a small handgun tucked into the small of his back, hidden beneath his shirt. He’s not so stupid to come unarmed with Jiyong and his crew out searching. 

 

The air is unusually quiet, the full moon hanging overhead in the cloudless sky. Jeongguk has never paid attention before, not until the forest is dead silent, that there have been birds chirping and tree branches rustling every time he’s been here. Now, nothing. It’s as if nature is holding her breath. 

 

Jeongguk exhales as he steps out of the car. He’s nervous. The adrenaline in his body spikes when a light flicks on inside the hanok, the light to the entryway. As he’s shutting the car door, the front door swings open, and Taehyung leaps out. 

 

Relief eases the hard set of Jeongguk’s shoulders.  _ He’s okay _ . He doesn’t think anything of it as he approaches the front door with a soft smile on his face. “Sorry, you didn’t answer my texts. I needed to see you—“

 

He doesn’t expect for Taehyung to round on him and plant his palms straight into Jeongguk’s chest, shoving him away. The force is enough for Jeongguk to stumble and almost fall to the ground, but he catches his balance and teeters forward. Confused, he stares at Taehyung, but Taehyung’s brows are pinched, and from the light glowing behind him, his eyes are red.

 

“How  _ could _ you,” Taehyung rasps, grounding Jeongguk to his spot. “You— you  _ lied  _ to me? This whole time?”

 

“Tae—“ He’s reeling, tongue thick in his mouth as he tries to recover from the whiplash. How could he know? “I— I can explain. That’s why I’m here.”

 

“Why should I trust you? Why should  _ we _ trust you?” 

 

The words hit Jeongguk hard like a brick. The other pack members are crowding around the front door looking on, and Yoongi shoves past them to step outside. His jaw is squared, eyes dark with hatred. He’s about ready to claw Jeongguk to pieces.

 

“You’ve— you’ve been telling the others everything, right? Kwon Jiyong, whoever you’re with?  _ Everything?” _

 

“No.  _ No _ ,” Jeongguk insists. Shame burns hot on the tops of his cheeks, but he forces himself to hold Taehyung’s gaze, even if seeing the animosity reflected there makes his heart break. “It’s not like that. Tae— Taehyung, _ please _ , let me explain—“

 

“Explain  _ what?  _ Are you here to stall, give those hunters enough time to get here and— and kill us off?” Taehyung’s voice raises, but it’s shaky, and he’s hurting, too. “Are you going to kill me, Jeongguk?”

 

“ _ What _ ? God, Tae—  _ no _ . I don’t want to hurt you, any of you, that’s why I’m here. To  _ warn _ you—“

 

“You should just  _ leave.  _ Get— get the hell out of here, before it gets any worse.”

 

From the front steps, Jeongguk can hear struggling, and he looks up to see Jimin tearing himself out of Yoongi’s arms. The alpha tries to hold Jimin back, but Jimin shoves him away and stops a few feet away from the hanok entrance.

 

“Tell me it isn’t true, Jeongguk.” Jimin’s voice wavers. “You’re really a hunter?”

 

Jeongguk swallows, clenches his hands into fists at his sides. They’re not going to run him out so easily. As much as it pains him to see and hear the pain he’s caused, standing up to Jiyong has made him stronger. “Not yet,” he says truthfully, “but I’m— I was about to be, and I’m— I’m so stupid. I should’ve told you sooner, I’m sorry.”

 

“You should have told me from the beginning,” Jimin states, rubbing at his eyes with his sleeve. “I wouldn’t—”

 

Taehyung cuts in. “Why did you let it go so far? If we had just been friends then it wouldn’t be so bad, but  _ fuck, fuck  _ this hurts.”

 

Shame gives way to frustration, to anger, and Jeongguk lets out a sharp bark of humorless laughter. “I fucked up,” he berates himself as his throat squeezes, “but what was I supposed to do?  _ This _ was why I didn’t tell you. You’re not even going to let me explain—“

 

“Because his  _ job _ ,” Yoongi cuts in. His upper lip curls back far enough to expose the points of his eyeteeth. “Is to protect this pack from people like  _ you _ .”

 

“ _ What  _ is there to explain?” Taehyung demands. 

 

Jeongguk draws himself up, waits with his mouth pressed into a firm line to see if anyone else wants to lash out at him again before he speak. “I’m trying to protect you,” he says with conviction. “I wouldn’t tell anyone else where you were. I told Jiyong that he wasn’t getting anything out of me. I know. . . I know you’re hurt, Tae, but I— I just want you to be safe.”

 

“I’m not the only one who’s hurt,” Taehyung replies, voice dropping. “You coming. . . it. . . it doesn't matter. They'll find us, and you can't protect us.”

 

Jimin speaks next, voice soft. “You should leave, Jeongguk. Before they get here. I don't. . .” He looks over to Yoongi, gnawing at his lip. “. . . I don't think it’s safe—”

 

Just then, headlights penetrate through the dense trees from down the road. They’re bright, almost blinding, and the pack tenses. Yoongi storms out from the hanok and quickly grabs Jimin, hauling him close. Defensively, he puts himself in front of his mate, eyes gleaming amber in the headlights as two Jeeps approach from down the gravel path. 

 

“I told you,” Taehyung growls low to Jeongguk, knuckles cracking as he clenches his fists tight at his sides. “They always find us.”

 

Jeongguk twists around and squints his eyes at the approaching Jeeps. They come grinding to a halt, gravel crunching under thick tires. From the hanok, the rest of the pack members file out, Minseok and Luhan taking the lead. As the eldest members, and the most responsible ones, they stand next to Taehyung, shoulders squared and jaws clenched when the engines to the Jeeps cut off. The lights dim and leave spots in the corners of Jeongguk’s eyes, but dread seeps into his system when the doors fling open and he spots a fiery head of hair. 

 

Jiyong slams the Jeep door shut, and the other four follow suit. They have weapons with them. 

 

“Oh, Jeongguk, did you change your mind? Decided to help us after all?” Jiyong crows, and there’s a menacing tinge to his voice, one that makes Jeongguk shudder. There is no smile on his face. “Or did you come to warn these mangy mutts of our plans?”

 

It’s much more comfortable to have the pack at his back, and Jeongguk angles his chin up. “Let it go, hyung. You don’t have to do this.”

 

“I’ve waited  _ years  _ for this. We all have.”

 

Seunghyun’s lips are formed in a scowl. He surveys the pack and when he finds Yoongi, the rest of the hunters look in that direction. “There he is,” the tall hunter rumbles, crudely laughing when he sees Yoongi hiding Jimin behind his back. “You really think you can protect your little  _ mate,  _ Yoongi? Against us?”

 

Frustrated, Jeongguk lets out a noise of disgust. “Leave them alone. Hunters are supposed to keep the peace, to protect. They aren’t  _ hurting _ anyone, hyung. You’re barging onto their territory, armed to the teeth,  _ provoking _ them into fighting just so you have an excuse.”

 

“They have  _ crimes  _ to answer for! Are you going to  _ ignore  _ the fact that Yoongi was going to kill you? That he witnessed the murder of your parents and did  _ nothing _ to stop it _?  _ And now you want to protect these. . . these  _ dogs _ !”

 

Seungri’s upper lip curls in disgust. “You even made one of them your  _ lover.  _ What a fucking disgrace to the Jeon name. Bet your parents would be ashamed of you if they hadn’t been torn apart by these savages.” 

 

A spark of  _ rage _ pulls underneath Jeongguk’s skin. It takes one fluid motion and the gun at the small of his back makes its way to his palm and he levels the muzzle of it in Seungri’s direction. It’s a miracle that his hand doesn’t shake. “Shut up. No one here killed any humans. They came here to get away from the violence, which you would know if you cared at all about making decisions based on facts. You’re no better than the bloodthirsty ‘mongrels’ you’ve decided need to pay for the crimes of a pack they’re no longer a part of. And don’t you  _ dare _ talk about what my parents would think. Keep my family’s name out of your fucking mouth,  _ hyung _ .”

 

Baring his teeth, Seungri steps forward, and the others follow. They pull their guns from their holsters, loaded with silver bullets. Daesung has a bow loaded with a silver tipped arrow at his side. Jeongguk keeps his arm raised, safety off. 

 

“What, are you going to  _ shoot _ me, Jeon? I’d like to see you try.”

 

Jeongguk’s aim is cut off by someone stepping in front of him. To his surprise, it’s Taehyung, lips curled back in a snarl. He stands in front of Jeongguk, growling, and the Daegu hunters stop their advance momentarily.

 

“Nobody touches him. You’re not touching him, not Yoongi, not the rest of  _ my _ pack without getting through _ me _ first.” 

 

Jeongguk wants to reach out, to touch him, or tell him to stop being an idiot and  _ get back _ , but all he can focus on is how his throat closes up. Something inside him swells with affection because Taehyung is protecting  _ him _ , protecting him like he’s part of the pack.

 

“Then you can be the first to die,” Daesung spits, holding his bow upright and pulling back with a nocked arrow on the string until the polished piece of word curves into an arc. Fear spikes in Jeongguk’s system and he can hear a voice, Minseok, maybe, tell Taehyung to get back, just as Daesung releases the arrow from the bow.

 

Jeongguk snaps forward and grabs Taehyung’s hand, trying desperately to yank him out of the way before the arrow reaches the alpha, but it never comes. 

 

A thick plume of black smoke appears in front of them. It’s within the blink of an eye that the smoke manifests itself into a human, a  _ demon,  _ tongues of smoke curling off Jung Hoseok’s form as he holds the arrow in his hand. More clouds of black smoke appear as the demons descend on the forest. The arrow that Daesung had launched snaps under the give of Hoseok’s hand, crumbling like a twig between his fingers.

 

“Humans,” he muses with a recollected sigh, “always resorting to actions rather than words.”

 

The Daegu hunters stumble backwards when Lisa appears from the shadows next to them. Jongin and Jennie manifest behind them. 

 

“What the fuck?” Seungri snaps, a sense of uneasiness in his voice. From down the road, more headlights penetrate the treeline.

 

Behind them, Jeongguk can hear Yoongi growl, and he tightens his grip on Taehyung’s hand like it’s the most natural thing in the world.  _ Why the hell is Hoseok here? _ It doesn’t make sense. The clearing grows a little brighter, and Jeongguk can only hope it’s more reinforcements for their side.

 

Jiyong looks irritated, brows creased in the center of his forehead as he raises up one fist in the air to still his men. “Hoseok, to what do we owe the pleasure of your arrival?”

 

Hoseok smirks, his grin toothy. “Well, let’s just say I owe Jeongguk’s daddy a favor and per Namjoon’s request, that favor will now be cashed in. An eye for an eye. Life for a life.” 

 

Pacts with demons aren’t made lightly, but Jeongguk is just a surprised as everyone else. He meets Taehyung’s questioning gaze with a small shrug of his shoulder. Their hands are still tightly laced together, and Jeongguk keeps a firm grip on the gun in his other, just in case. 

 

The first car Jeongguk sees pull up behind the first two is Namjoon’s truck, followed by Amber’s and Kris’. Immediately, Namjoon and Seokjin hop out. Jeongguk is shocked to see Kris, Junmyeon, Sehun, Tao, Amber, and Luna here. 

 

Upon seeing the hunters, Jiyong frowns, and Seunghyun straightens. Hoseok’s grin only stretches wider.

 

“Ah, looks like everyone is here now. Seems to me that you’re slightly outnumbered, Jiyong.”

 

“Debt or not, this doesn’t concern you,” Jiyong snaps, eying Namjoon with disdain lacing his features. “This is hunter business.”

 

“This is nobody’s business,” Namjoon snaps roughly, cutting in the conversation. He eyes the gun in Jeongguk’s hand, the bow in Daesung’s, and the snapped arrow at Hoseok’s feet. His shoulders visibly shake. “Did you try to fucking  _ hurt Jeongguk?” _

 

“Hyung,” Jeongguk tries to implore, finally finding his voice, “it’s okay—“

 

“He’s picked his side,” Daesung cuts him off, acid dripping from each word. “He’s no hunter. If he wants to lie with the dogs then he can die like one.”

 

It takes nearly every muscle in Kris’ body to hold Namjoon back from charging, vice-like grip around his arms. Seunghyun watches smugly. 

 

“Children, please,” Hoseok croons, eyeing both sides. “I believe this  _ does  _ concern us. A demon does have to fulfill his debt, but I’m sure you know that very well, Jiyong.”

 

Jiyong twitches, but Hoseok continues. A menacing laugh leaves his lips. “It’s coming back to bite you in the ass, isn’t it? What, you never told them your own little deal with the devil?” He addresses the other hunters, even the werewolves. “Kwon Jiyong made a pact years ago, begging us for power, to become one of the greatest hunters this world has ever seen. Who are we to deny the weak-minded? That’s why the Daegu hunters are so powerful, you know, because of  _ us.  _ We can easily take that power away, just with a snap of our fingers. We could kill all of you if we wanted too, but that wouldn’t be fun; not when I need to keep Jeongguk alive.”

 

The demon fixes his eyes on the red haired hunter. “Your life is on the line, Jiyong. If you do not let me fulfill  _ my  _ debt to Jeongguk, your soul will belong to  _ me.  _ Not only will I kill you, but I will destroy anything you’ve ever held close, including the four who stand with you. You will die as a debtor to the demons.”

 

Lisa folds her arms across her chest. “If I were you, I would consider your next words  _ very carefully.” _

 

With the tension building between all four groups, Jeongguk can feel his lungs struggling to expand inside his chest. 

 

“I was promised thirty years before my contract needed to be repaid,” Jiyong says, but his words have lost their bite. “You can’t just—“

 

From the side, Seokjin huffs. “You of all people should know better than to make pacts with demons. He could rip your soul from your body right now and there’s nothing you could do to stop it.”

 

“You back off from this pack, and your thirty years may still be valid. We all know you don’t care about rules; you just want the personal glory and fame for hauling Min Yoongi in once and for all. But. . . Daegu doesn’t actually care about him anymore, so why don’t you let it go, hm? Let the past die already. No sense in beating a dead horse,” Jennie suggests. 

 

Jeongguk wants to bury his face in Taehyung’s chest but he doesn’t. He’s afraid that if he moves, draws any more attention to the fact that they’re touching at all, that Taehyung will shrug him off. For now, everyone’s attention is on Jiyong and the rest of the Daegu hunters and the way they start to squirm under the demons’ black eyed gazes. Jeongguk’s never seen so many of them in one place before and he shivers when Lisa looks at him with her lips turned up at the corners. 

 

“This is bullshit,” Jiyong finally spits, turning on his heel and kicking the ground like a petulant child. “If any of you show your faces in Daegu again, there won’t be any demons to protect you.”

 

“Oh trust me, you won’t be seeing us,” Namjoon states, lips set in a firm line. 

 

“Are we really going to fucking leave? After everything?” Seungri hisses, staring after Jiyong as the elder shoves his gun in its holster. “We’re just. . . we’re just gonna let those  _ filthy dogs  _ roam free?”

 

“There’s nothing to be done,” Seunghyun mutters coldly. The tall, imposing hunter also turns his back on the others. “This is the one fight we can’t win. Let’s go, I don’t want to be here any longer with the demons around.”

 

As they sluggishly walk back to their trucks, Jiyong stops and turns to Namjoon. His features are twisted into an ugly expression, rage bubbling under the surface, ready to explode at any moment. The tendons in his neck are taut. 

 

“ _ This,”  _ he snarls, “isn’t over, Namjoon.”

 

Namjoon’s brows crease. “Oh, but it is, Jiyong. It was over the moment you stepped foot into Seoul.”

 

Jiyong’s face twitches and it seems that he’s ready to lunge at Namjoon, but something in him pulls him away with a scoff. He waves to his comrades and stalks off towards their trucks, all while everyone watches.

 

From afar, Hoseok smiles wide. He waves to the Daegu hunters as they slam their car doors and pull into reverse. “Pleasure doing business with you, Jiyong!” 

 

The other three demons appear besides Hoseok in clouds of smoke, Jennie’s arms folded across her chest, bubblegum popping loudly. Jongin winks at someone, Jeongguk thinks it’s  _ Sehun,  _ but Hoseok grabs his attention. 

 

“Well, Jeongguk, my pact with your father is now complete after over 10 years of watching you grow up and waiting for the right moment. Thank Namjoon for cashing it in, or else you and your wolfie boyfriend would not be breathing right where you stand. No more rash decisions, alright? You’re lucky to have Namjoon and Seokjin in your life.”

 

“I-I am,” Jeongguk readily agrees, feeling a little weak-kneed now that the adrenaline is beginning to wear off. “Thank you, for helping.”

 

Jennie and Lisa let out quiet little giggles. “Oh, he’s so cute,” Lisa says. “Not nearly as brooding as his father.”

 

“Trust me,” Seokjin offers up, “he has his moments.”

 

“Hyung!” Jeongguk hisses, mortified, but he only gets muffled laughs in return. He dares to peek over his shoulder, and finds that Jimin is smiling, barely able to see over Yoongi’s broader shoulders. 

 

“I just had to fulfill a debt, that’s all,” Hoseok smiles, and for a demon, Jeongguk thinks it’s a genuine smile. “You all have some explaining to do.  _ Au revoir~” _

 

In one big cloud of black smoke, the demons are gone. They’re gone, the Daegu hunters are gone, things are turning back to normal. He’s still holding hands with Taehyung, and now that the adrenaline rush is dissipating, they shyly release their hands. Taehyung’s been silent the entire time, hell, everyone has, and reality dawns on them. The hunters and the pack are all standing here together, setting aside their differences because of Taehyung and Jeongguk. 

 

“You know,” Yoongi finally says, breaking the silence, “I thought I’d seen the last of you after. . . everything that happened, Namjoon. Had to come rub it back in my face and save my ass again, huh?”

 

“We wanted to save Jeongguk’s ass, but yeah, guess we’ll rub it in again,” Namjoon replies, an edge of ironic humor to his voice. “Hopefully this is the last time, too.”

 

“As long as you keep your hunters in line from now on, then we won’t have anymore problems.”

 

“ _ Yoongi _ ,” Jimin hisses, a muffled thwack sounds odd when he hits his mate on the shoulder. “What he means to say is, we really don’t want any trouble, so. . . truce?”

 

“We never intended for trouble,” Luna tries to explain gently. “Now we realize there’s no reason for animosity, not when you have all treated Jeongguk with kindness.”

 

“A truce would be ideal. Considering Jeongguk’s attachment with this pack. . . not having one would be ridiculous. We never had a reason to harm any of you. So we’re sorry for any trouble.” 

 

Namjoon bows humbly in apology, the clear-minded, respectable leader Jeongguk knows. It fills his belly with warmth, knowing that there can be peace.

 

“Your apology is accepted,” Minseok speaks up, holding on to Luhan’s arm. It’s better that he speaks and not Yoongi. “If both of us can coexist, then I am all for attempting friendship. Yoongi and Jimin have shown that, but also Jeongguk. I suppose hunters can be civil, after all.”

 

Jimin steps around Yoongi and laces his fingers with his mate’s, staring at Taehyung, who has been unusually silent this whole time. “Tae? What do you say?”

 

Jeongguk peeks at the alpha through his lashes, digging his soles into the gravel and grass at his feet. He feels small next to Taehyung, awkward, even, but the alpha stands straight and speaks with conviction.

 

“I want a truce between us. We can work out any details at a later time, but we’re all tired and need to rest after tonight. I think it’s best for everyone to head home.” Taehyung turns his head and locks eyes with Jeongguk, voice quiet as he speaks directly to him. “Can you stay? I. . . think we should talk.”

 

“I— yea, I can stay,” Jeongguk mumbles, heart kicking against the back of his ribs in an uneven rhythm. 

 

With that being said, the wolves wait until the rest of the hunters make it to their cars before they head inside the hanok. Seokjin gives Jeongguk a cheesy thumbs up before he swings into the passenger’s side of Namjoon’s truck. Behind them, Jimin lingers in the doorway until Yoongi pulls him inside, leaving Taehyung and Jeongguk standing in the clearing in front of Seokjin’s Kia. 

 

There hasn’t been an awkward feeling between them in a long time. They’ve both fallen into a natural pattern with one another, but they’re out of tune, and fumble with being near each other. Jeongguk wonders if Taehyung can hear his erratic heartbeat. 

 

The insects return to the forest, air no longer hushed in silence. The crickets chirp in the grass and the bushes, fireflies illuminating the treeline when they float by. Jeongguk’s heart thuds, and Taehyung lets out a soft rumble from his throat.

 

“I know it shouldn’t, but it still hurts,” he mumbles, reaching out for Jeongguk’s hand. He traces senseless patterns on the back of his hand. “I wish you had told me, Kook. Right from the beginning or somewhere in between. I found it hard to trust you, but. . . you proved me wrong. You really were trying to protect us.”

 

It’s time to be brutally honest, so Jeongguk steels himself with a shaky breath. He’s already hurt enough people today, but he doesn’t want there to be any other secrets between them. 

 

“Not at first,” he admits. “I didn’t know. . . what you really were until Namjoon showed me these pictures of you and Jimin with Yoongi. I used to— to really hate werewolves, because of my parents, so I thought that I could get closer to you, that you would let me in and I could feed that information right back to Namjoon hyung and the others.”

 

Saying it out loud makes heat rise up into the tops of his cheeks. He’s ashamed for coming up with the plan to manipulate Taehyung and the others like that. 

 

“What I didn’t plan on was. . . was falling in love with you,” he continues on, trying to stiffen his bottom lip so that it doesn’t tremble, “and I didn’t want to hurt you, but I did it anyway. I should have told you, instead of letting Yoongi find out. I should have had the guts to expose myself when you told me you were a wolf and I— I was a  _ coward—“ _

 

Jeongguk gasps in surprise when Taehyung pulls him forward and kisses him right on the mouth, one of his hands cupping Jeongguk’s cheek. It’s a kiss that floods Jeongguk’s entire system with heat, a tingly sensation spreading through his body to his fingertips. Just like that, he kisses Taehyung back, refuses to let him go until they part to breathe. Taehyung presses their foreheads together, noses bumping, fingers stroking his cheek.

 

“I love you,” Taehyung breathes out, blinking into Jeongguk’s eyes. “I should be mad, but— but  _ fuck _ , I love you—”

 

Jeongguk doesn’t even realize he’s crying under the pad of Taehyung’s thumb swipes over a tear that rolls over his cheek. “Tae, I don’t deserve that,” he sniffs, but he can’t help pressing closer. “I don’t deserve for you to be so nice to me.”

 

“You came here to warn me, because you _care_ about all of us,” Taehyung murmurs, tipping Jeongguk’s head up so he can wipe another tear away. “You’re so brave, Kook. Selfless. You’ve kept quiet for so long. . . and I’m so glad that you told the truth. You deserve it. All of it.”

 

It’s hard to swallow the lump in his throat to speak, so instead Jeongguk buries his face into the crook of Taehyung’s neck with his arms haphazardly thrown around the alpha’s neck. “Thank you,” he manages to whisper against his skin. “For giving me a chance.”

 

“Your hyung gave Yoongi and us a second chance,” Taehyung whispers, carding his fingers through Jeongguk’s hair. “It’s only fair that I return the favor.”

 

“You’d miss me too much anyway,” Jeongguk manages a bit of snark, laughing wetly against Taehyung’s collarbones. 

 

“Ah, still a brat,” Taehyung muses, ruffling Jeongguk’s hair messily. Jeongguk lifts his head with one last laughing sob and wipes his face, tip of his nose red from crying. “ _ My  _ brat.”

 

“If you’ll have me,” Jeongguk twists his fingers slowly into the longer hairs at Taehyung’s nape. “I’m— I’m yours, Tae.”

 

Their lips lock again in a soft kiss and Jeongguk melts into it. Taehyung’s lips are plush against his, his hair silky between Jeongguk’s fingers. This is where he belongs, in Taehyung’s embrace, sharing a kiss under the glow of the full moon. 

 

“And I'm yours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Technically. . . this is the end of Eclipse. The next chapter is just an addition to their relationship a year in the future, but the original storyline is finished.
> 
> We were worried this chapter would be disappointing because everything happens all in two chapters, but when we think about it, the other 14 chapters have been the build-up and trying to extend this any further would probably have killed our creativity. L and I hope this was still satisfying to read regardless, all throughout, and we're happy to put Eclipse to rest after so many months writing it. Thank you for all the love and support for Eclipse and we will see you for the last time in Eclipse when Ch 17, The Epilogue, is posted tomorrow! <3 
> 
> [Our Twitter](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas)


	17. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeongguk doesn’t think he’s ever been more in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is R-18 for smut, but it's soft smut and they're MATING! We'll put our long spiel at the end ;)

Waking up in Taehyung’s bed is still a little surreal. Sure, it’s been a few months since the entire pack convinced him to move in, but it still catches Jeongguk by surprise sometimes when he opens his eyes in the mornings. Even if it’s a little too hot, he loves the warmth of Taehyung’s body, how their legs are always tangled together under the blankets even if they didn’t fall asleep that way. 

 

Usually, he’s the first one awake, but this morning Taehyung is already up, jerking back when Jeongguk catches him staring. 

 

“Wha. . . What are you doing, Tae?” he mumbles, reaching out to throw his arm over the alpha's bare chest. “Stop being a creep.”

 

Taehyung, his hair now dark brown and messy, blinks at Jeongguk. “It’s not  _ creepy,”  _ he argues, blowing his fringe out of his face and sitting up. “Just. . . thought you had something on your face.”

 

“Mm, that’s convincing,” Jeongguk mumbles, reaching for one of their pillows instead. “Lay back down. What’re you up so early for?”

 

“Felt a little restless,” Taehyung replies, but per Jeongguk’s request, settles back down on the bed. “I  _ could  _ make us breakfast—”

 

As if on cue, Jeongguk’s stomach growls and he manages a sleepy glare at it before he rolls over into Taehyung’s chest. “Make me food. Be a good hyung.”

 

“You’re such a brat,” Taehyung huffs, ignoring how Jeongguk bats his lashes at him before he’s rolling the younger off him, kicking the blankets off his body. He stands up, searching for a shirt to throw on over his sweatpants. “What do you want?”

 

Jeongguk nuzzles back into the pillows, one leg dangling off the edge of the bed. After a moment of appreciating the naked expanse of Taehyung’s back before it disappears under the t-shirt he pulls over his head, he speaks. “Mm, dunno. Surprise me. Something quick.”

 

“A bowl of cereal, got it.”

 

“It’s probably the only thing you’re good at making.”

 

Taehyung glares at Jeongguk in offense, but the younger only smiles, cuddling against the furs on the bed. Kicking his leg back and forth. 

“You’re lucky I tolerate you,” the alpha grumbles, before he’s slipping out of the bedroom. The door is cracked open behind him, and Jeongguk sighs, stretching on the bed before there’s a knock at the door. It’s Jimin’s voice, coming from the other side.

 

“You’re not naked, are you, Kook?”

 

“Guess you’ll find out,” Jeongguk calls out with a sleepy yawn. He isn’t. He’s wearing a pair of Taehyung’s boxers. 

 

Jimin props open the door with his hip before slinking in, glad to find that Jeongguk  _ isn’t  _ naked. “I thought Tae would never leave,” he breathes in relief, coming over and flopping down on the bed. Jeongguk is forced to shift over towards Taehyung’s side of the bed to accommodate his hyung.

 

“Baekhyun is distracting him downstairs. Anyways. . .” Jimin nudges a pair of sweatpants — Jeongguk’s— off the edge of the bed. “Have you noticed Tae acting a little. . .  _ strange  _ lately?”

 

Now that he thinks about it, Taehyung’s seemed a little. . . on edge lately. Jeongguk’s caught him staring more often that not with this look on his face that Jeongguk doesn’t know what to make of. The same face he had this morning when Jeongguk had woken up. It’s also not usual for him to make breakfast, but he’s offered several times this week. 

 

“Dunno,” he muses, rolling onto his back so that he can stare up at the ceiling. “Maybe a little?”

 

Jimin wouldn’t ask if he didn’t already know, Jeongguk realizes, turning his face so he can see Jimin’s. 

 

“Why? What do you know?”

 

The blonde fiddles with his fingers. “Well. . .” he starts slowly. “He’s kind of been talking about you two lately and. . . and he wants to mate with you.”

 

_ Oh _ . That is some serious shit. “He does?” Jeongguk’s voice comes out an octave higher than usual. 

 

Really it’s not that surprising, he supposes. Taehyung’s never been one to shy away from what he wants, and in the year that they’ve been together, he’s made it very clear how serious he is about their relationship. But mating. . .

 

“Can he do that? I mean, I’m. . .human?”

 

Jimin nods. “Yoongi and I mated before he made me a wolf. To become mated, he just has to bite you on the full moon, and there's one tonight. But he's really been thinking about it. I know he's too scared to ask you before the heat of the moment, so that's why I stepped in. Wanted to tell you first.”

 

It’s sweet that this is what’s made Taehyung so jittery the last couple of days. Jeongguk can’t help but laugh, throwing one arm over his face. “Tae’s kind of an idiot sometimes. Why is he scared to talk about it? It’s like, a really big deal for wolves right?”

 

Jimin laughs, eyes crinkling at the corners. “He's just worried  _ because  _ it's a big deal. He doesn't know if you want to mate or not, especially after everything. But do  _ you _ want to mate with him? It's a big commitment—”

 

“Well how did you know that was what you wanted with Yoongi?”

 

“I knew I wouldn't love anyone other than Yoongi.”

 

It’s so simple, but really, would anyone need a reason other than that? And if Jeongguk really thinks about it, he can’t even begin to imagine life any other way. Mating seems almost more like a formality, but he knows it holds so much more meaning for Taehyung. 

 

“Yea,” he breathes, inhaling Taehyung’s smell from the pillow he’d slept on, “I know how that feels.”

 

“You do whatever feels comfortable, Kookie,” Jimin hums, and just like that, Taehyung nudges open the bedroom door with two bowls of cereal. He isn't surprised to see Jimin on the bed, but his eyes narrow suspiciously. The blonde turns to Taehyung and he smiles wide, playing innocent. 

 

“What took you so long?” 

 

“Baekhyun. The usual. How'd you sneak up here?”

 

Jimin slides off the bed, feet hitting the floor. “I walked up here and into the room. Relax, we were just talking. Eat your cereal before it gets soggy.” He flutters past Taehyung and on his way out he sends a wink in Jeongguk's direction. 

 

It’s a bit of a shuffle for them to get situated on the bed again without spilling any of the cereal, but they both end up propped against the headboard, each with a bowl in hand. Jeongguk drapes one leg over Taehyung’s, letting his calf rest on the alpha’s thigh as he digs his spoon into the bottom of the bowl. 

 

“My alpha. My great protector and provider,” he coos before taking the first bite. 

 

“Oh my god, shut up,” Taehyung groans, but there's a smile on his face and humor in his voice. “You slander me about not being able to make anything and now that bowl of cereal is your sustenance.”

 

“You braved a perilous journey for this bowl of cereal, just to make sure I didn’t go hungry.”

 

“Wanna make you nice and thick.”

 

Jeongguk laughs, lets his eyes crinkle up at the corners. “Because the big, bad wolf is gonna eat me up?”

 

“Of course,” Taehyung muses, polishing off his bowl of cereal. “Which is why we should get dinner tonight. Somewhere more classy and not just, like, a fried chicken place.”

 

They haven’t really had a proper date since Jeongguk moved in, and even though he knows now exactly what this is all leading up to, he doesn’t let on that he knows. “Mm, what’s the special occasion?” he teases, gently prodding Taehyung’s ankle with his foot. 

 

Taehyung shifts as he sets down his bowl, and Jeongguk can tell Taehyung is having an inner debate with himself. “Maybe I just wanna treat you right?” He replies, sticking his nose up. “Take you out somewhere nice before I dick you down—”

 

“And  _ there  _ we have it. Your true motivation. You just want my ass.”

 

The alpha whines with a laugh, reaching out to swat at Jeongguk’s thigh. “Don’t lie, you like it.”

 

“I—“ Jeongguk begins, ducking under Taehyung’s outstretched arm to steal a kiss. “—like  _ you _ . So I’ll let you take me out tonight. I want lamb skewers.”

 

Taehyung grins. “Your favorite, of course,” he kisses Jeongguk back eagerly. “It’s a date.”

 

“A date,” Jeongguk agrees, retreating back to his side of the bed with his cereal bowl in his lap and butterflies in his stomach. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Maybe it’s because Jeongguk knows what all of this really leading up to, but tonight he feels giddy. All those feelings he first had over a year ago: the excitement, the nerves, all of them bubble up again. He can’t stop smiling through dinner, and Taehyung seems to be doing anything that he possibly can to make him laugh. Some part of them has to be touching, whether it’s their ankles hooked together under the table or holding hands over top of it. 

 

Jeongguk doesn’t think he’s ever been more in love. 

 

Full of lamb, the drive home is more subdued but no less affectionate. Taehyung keeps his hand around the curve of Jeongguk’s thigh, singing along to the songs that come on the radio and making silly faces whenever Jeongguk looks his way. The alpha’s other foot bobs against the floor of his Jeep, a sure sign of nervousness. Jeongguk pretends like he doesn’t know why Taehyung is so anxious, just continues to laugh and talk with him until they exit the Jeep and walk into the hanok. Voices come from the living room and they stop by to chat with the rest of the pack. They ask how the date was, stuff like that. They’re all in the middle of a movie and Taehyung finds it best not to disturb them. Jimin watches them closely as they leave, giving Taehyung a thumbs up that Jeongguk  _ definitely  _ sees. 

 

Jeongguk is led up the stairs with his fingers interlocked with Taehyung’s, a strange sensation buzzing in his system. Maybe it’s anticipation, or just the knowledge of what might happen next that excites him. He squeezes the alpha’s hand.

 

Taehyung gives him a small smile before he presses one wide palm to their bedroom door and pushes. 

 

The lights are off, but their nightstands and dressers are covered in lit candles; both windows are open, with the curtains pulled back to let in a soft breeze and the light of the full moon. Even their bed —that had been left a mess this morning— is neatly made up, covered in more furs than Jeongguk has ever seen before. 

 

“Oh— Tae,” he breathes out, struggling to take in just how gorgeous and intimate the whole space seems.

 

The alpha gently shuts the door behind him and runs his hand across Jeongguk’s back. “I told you I wanted to make it special,” he hums, observing the room. “I  _ might _ have had Jimin help with this. . .”

 

“It’s. . . it’s really—“ For some reason, his throat tightens up like he’s about to cry. “He did a really good job. It’s beautiful.”

 

With the windows open, and the moonlight streaming in, it makes the bedroom seem magical. Jeongguk takes a few steps forward, enough that he can reach out and trail his fingers over the furs on the bed. “I don’t think I’ve seen these before.”

 

“That’s because they’re new.”

 

Jeongguk looks up, and Taehyung bites his lip with a smile, wringing his hands in front of his stomach. “I’ve been hunting. Before you moved in, I started making another blanket with the pelts I had collected, but it’s been hard trying to do it without you knowing. There are some other, smaller blankets, but that one is for you.”

 

“Look at you, trying to woo me with gifts,” Jeongguk tries to joke, mainly because he doesn’t know what to do with the surge of affection he feels. And he also knows that for wolves, giving furs like this isn’t something they do lightly. It takes a lot of time and effort to craft something so beautiful. Taehyung must have done it all by hand. “It’s beautiful, Tae. Thank you.”

 

There’s a blush high on Taehyung’s cheeks and he steps forward, reaching for Jeongguk’s hands. They brush over the furs, and Taehyung holds Jeongguk’s hands in his. “I’m glad you like it,” he murmurs, leaning forward to kiss Jeongguk on the tip of his nose. His fingers stroke Jeongguk’s knuckles and his tongue comes out to wet at his lips.

 

“Did you notice that it’s a full moon outside?”

 

“I did. Is that why you’re so nervous?”

 

Taehyung’s eyes widen before he laughs, flustered and still blushing. The usually confident alpha is now the shy one. “Yeah,” he chuckles, clearing his throat. “I wanted to ask. . . with everything set up. . . if I could mate with you? Tonight?” 

 

It takes everything Jeongguk has to keep from smiling, instead he just lets out a contemplative hum, like he’s not sure how to answer. He’s allowed to tease a little, especially with how strung tight Taehyung seems. He’s quick to soothe though, letting his nose scrunch up when he finally does smile, squeezing at Taehyung’s hands in reassurance. “That’s what all this was for? Are you trying to sway my answer, Kim Taehyung?”

 

“Um. . .” Taehyung glances around quickly. “Maybe I am? I thought setting the mood would help. Not romantic enough? Should I spread rose petals on the bed, grab a bottle of wine from downstairs?”

 

“No, no,” Jeongguk laughs. He can’t help but give his silly werewolf boyfriend a kiss right on the mouth. “It’s perfect. But you know I would have said yes to you anyway, right?”

 

It takes a few seconds for Jeongguk’s answer to click in his head, but when it does, Taehyung lets out a gasp. “What? Really? You— you want to be my mate?”

 

“Don’t act so surprised! Of course I want to be your mate. Did you really think I’d say no?”

 

“W-well it’s a huge commitment and I didn’t know if you were ready for it or not—”

 

“Tae,” Jeongguk cuts him off, squeezing their hands again, “I’m already yours. I have been for a long time. This is just going to make it official, right?”

 

“Yeah, yeah. I’m just, I’m so happy,” Taehyung almost squeals, lifting his hands and cupping Jeongguk’s face with both. “You’re always gonna be mine, Kook.”

 

He feels a little ridiculous with his cheeks squished between Taehyung's hands and it pulls even more laughter out of his mouth. “It’s your last chance to get rid of me,” he warns. “No take backs.”

 

Taehyung pecks him on the lips. “I wouldn’t dream of getting rid of you.”

 

It’s Jeongguk’s turn to blush. “So. . . Jimin sort of told me a little bit but. . . all I really know is that you’re gonna bite me at some point and that it’s probably gonna hurt.”

 

“I could technically just bite you now, or we could have sex and then I do it. Pleasure cancels out some of the pain, but it’s still going to hurt,” Taehyung admits, but then his brows pinch. “Is that what Jimin was talking to you about earlier?”

 

Not wanting to ruin the mood by outing Jimin’s sneakiness, Jeongguk just pulls Taehyung closer and kisses him again. “I don’t want to think about Jimin hyung right now. Wanna think about you instead.”

 

“I have to agree,” Taehyung mumbles between their lips, fingers trailing from Jeongguk’s face down his body, into the curve of his spine and over his hips. He tilts his head and the kiss deepens, Jeongguk’s hands lacing around the alpha’s neck. The longer they kiss, the more desperate they become for contact, and Jeongguk mewls softly when Taehyung’s hands cup his ass and direct him towards the bed. 

 

Jeongguk sits on the edge and nips at Taehyung’s mouth as he scoots further on the pile of furs, Taehyung crawling over him. Jeongguk props himself on one hand, the other sliding down to tug upward at the alpha’s sweater, legs spreading to fit Taehyung between them.

 

They’ve done this so many times before, but there’s something different about tonight. Taehyung looks ethereal with moonlight glinting off his skin when Jeongguk finally wrestles him free of his shirt. His eyes are already pitched amber, pupils dark and blown out in the center. 

 

“So I guess we decided sex first?” 

 

“What, you don’t want that first?” Taehyung asks as he dives in for another kiss, pulling on Jeongguk’s lower lip with his canines as he works on unbuttoning the younger’s jeans. 

 

It takes a moment to shimmy out of them, but then Jeongguk kicks them off and onto the floor somewhere, eagerly lacing his hands back behind Taehyung’s neck to pull him back down. “No, I’m— I’m cool with that.”

 

“Mm, I hope so.” 

 

Taehyung shoves his hands underneath Jeongguk’s shirt when they kiss again, open-mouthed and hot, long fingers skimming over his abdomen. Jeongguk whines and twitches when Taehyung swipes his fingers over Jeongguk’s nipples, rubbing and rolling the buds between his fingertips, getting Jeongguk to squirm in his hold. 

 

“ _ Ah _ , Tae—“ He digs his nails into the round of Taehyung’s shoulders, hips bucking up in search of some sort of friction. He keens when Taehyung tucks himself down, replacing one hand with his mouth, sucking gently until Jeongguk can feel himself start to shake. 

 

He’d been so embarrassed when Taehyung had discovered how sensitive he was, but now he can’t find it in himself to care; all he does is arch his back, pressing his chest even harder against Taehyung’s lips and teeth. Taehyung alternates and continues until Jeongguk is whining from the sensitivity, chest sheen with saliva when the alpha finally pulls off. 

 

Jeongguk’s in a haze and is easy to comply when Taehyung peels his shirt off his body and tosses it aside, leaving him bare, Taehyung with his jeans still on. Taehyung lays Jeongguk down on the bed and fumbles for lube, foregoing condoms. They haven’t used them for awhile, plus, Jeongguk bashfully admits he likes the feeling of being full. And Taehyung has to admit he likes  _ making  _ Jeongguk feel full.

 

“Kinda wanna eat you out,” Taehyung mumbles, amber eyes flicking down to Jeongguk’s lower half. He’s semi-hard, cock curling against his belly. 

 

“You always . . . say that,” Jeongguk pants, shifting against the sheets and scooting back just enough that he can prop his head up against the pillow. 

 

“I love watching you squirm and get all needy,” Taehyung admits, already sliding down the bed between Jeongguk’s legs. It’s almost an automatic movement, for Jeongguk to bend his legs at the knee, staring between them. The alpha rests his hands on the backs of his thighs as he peppers kisses and teasing nips down his skin, across the sinewy muscles, creating faint teeth indentations up and down. Jeongguk does, indeed, squirm, cock twitching against his belly. 

 

Taehyung  _ loves _ to tease, and a small part of Jeongguk really hates him for it. The much bigger part of him loves the build up, the way his whole body will tense and contact with anticipation of where his alpha’s mouth will be next. But he does have his limits, as much as he likes Taehyung marking up the sensitive, thinner skin of his inner thighs. 

 

“ _ Tae _ ,” he kicks at Taehyung’s shoulder with one of his feet, a little pout on his lips. “Come  _ on.” _

 

Grumbling, Taehyung bites harder at Jeongguk’s skin before relenting. “Fine, fine,” he mumbles, hands gliding down his thighs. He brushes a finger over Jeongguk’s rim, just to tease again, before ducking his head down and running the flat of his tongue over Jeongguk’s baby pink hole. 

 

Jeongguk reaches down to grab a fistful of Taehyung’s dark hair, tugging him closer, but the alpha is still in control and nips at Jeongguk’s tender skin as a warning. Whining low in his throat, Jeongguk curls his toes, other hand fisted in the sheets as Taehyung laps over his hole. The tip of his tongue just sneaks past his rim, but the sensation is fleeting, and he rocks his hips down despite the earlier warning. He wants Taehyung’s tongue  _ in  _ him.

 

Until he gets it, he’s quite capable of taking matters into his own hands, literally. Instead of gripping the sheets, Jeongguk reaches for his own cock instead, and getting a hand around himself makes a contented sigh escape his lips. It’s not like he wants to cum just yet, but he jerks himself off with slow pulls, pressing the edge of his thumbnail into his own slit just for the delicious bite of pain it gives, rolling hips down as much as he can to chase after Taehyung’s mouth, his fingers. 

 

When Jeongguk touches himself, Taehyung pauses, groaning softly. Taehyung then presses his tongue inside Jeongguk, hands holding his thighs, nose touching Jeongguk’s skin. Jeongguk moans wantonly, chewing on his lips as Taehyung thrusts his tongue. He’s so incredibly good with his mouth like this, knows everything that makes Jeongguk feel like he’s on fire, knows exactly how to have sex with him the right way—

 

Jeongguk barely notices Taehyung squeezing in the first finger alongside his tongue until it crooks against that sweet spot in his body. He jerks, white flashing behind his eyes, spine arching off the bed, and he has to squeeze down hard at the base of his own cock to fight back the urge to cum. 

 

“Tae— Tae, stop,  _ shit _ .” He’s still open from two nights ago so it’s easy for Taehyung to pull back and push in two fingers. “I’m ready— I’m ready,  _ please _ .”

 

Taehyung complies with one more crook of his fingers, pulling them out and sitting up on the bed. The material in the front of his jeans is strained, and he reaches down to unbuckle his belt. It’s awkward, rolling off the mound of blankets to strip himself of his jeans, but he kicks them aside and climbs back over Jeongguk to kiss him on the mouth. The candles around them are still lit, lightest breeze fluttering in from outside. It’s not cold, but Jeongguk is warm, warm everywhere. 

 

“Do you want to face me?” The alpha asks in between kisses, hand searching for the lube amongst the fur pile. 

 

“I— is that going to be easiest?”

 

“I want you to be comfortable. I just need access to your neck.”

 

Jeongguk nods, still shaky as he shifts again with his heels dug into the furs. “Then I want you like this,” he says, letting his legs drop open to the sides, hand still curled around his cock. 

 

“Okay,” Taehyung presses another kiss to Jeongguk’s lips. Automatically, when he scoots closer, Jeongguk loosely wraps his legs around his waist. Taehyung dribbles lube on his hand before stroking his cock, lining himself up with Jeongguk. They’ve done this countless times, and there’s no reason to be nervous or shaky, but here they are, knowing that by the end, they’ll be mated. The anticipation gets to Taehyung and makes him slightly impatient, but he wants this to be more special than it usually is.

 

Where Jeongguk used to have a difficult time adjusting to Taehyung, his body is so fitted to the shape of him that when Taehyung presses inside, he sinks right in. There’s always still a little stretch, but the feeling of fullness overwhelms Jeongguk, moan leaving his lips when Taehyung’s buried in the heat of his body. 

 

“You’re not going to cum right away, are you?” Taehyung asks with a slight tone of amusement, trailing his fingers over Jeongguk’s clenched fist. He pulls out halfway and smoothly thrusts back in. 

 

Jeongguk shakes his head from side to side, panting. “Not ‘til you bite me.”

 

Taehyung fucks into him with a growl, and Jeongguk forces himself to watch the moonlight dance across the alpha’s skin with every roll of their bodies. He  _ is _ close, something about the surge of emotions knowing that they’re about to be tied together for the rest of their lives makes it harder to hold on. 

 

For a better angle, Taehyung lifts Jeongguk’s legs and bends them at the knee, bracing himself on his palms. Jeongguk whimpers with want, the pleasure coiling tight in his stomach, their eyes almost level. He stares into amber pupils, at the moonlight and the candlelight dancing across his tan skin, the love and adoration he holds in his eyes for Jeongguk. 

 

Jeongguk lurches out with one hand and wraps it around Taehyung, nails scratching lines into the planes of muscle on his shoulder, forcing the alpha closer. Their noses are inches away from brushing. 

 

“I want you to be mine,” Taehyung murmurs, rocking his hips in the way Jeongguk likes, the way that has stars flashing in his vision and pleading moans leaving his lips. “Leave my mark, so everyone can see—”

 

“M’yours,” Jeongguk slurs, can’t help but squeeze his eyes shut as if that will help tamp down the pending climax building in his core. 

 

Taehyung’s breath is hot against his skin when he tucks his face into the crook of Jeongguk’s neck, makes him shudder when he can feel the scrape of the alpha’s teeth over his fluttering pulse. He’s anticipating the pain, but also the excitement of mating with Taehyung. He feels giddy, butterflies and heat in his stomach. 

 

“M’close, Kook, I’m—” Taehyung rasps into Jeongguk’s shoulder, teeth bared and mouth poised over the spot where he’s going to mark Jeongguk. His hips move erratically, seeking after his own end, one hand curling into Jeongguk’s hair to tilt his head for the better angle to bite him. Jeongguk’s close too, just on the verge of climaxing, but he doesn’t fall over the edge until Taehyung marks him.

 

There’s only two, then three more hard jerks of Taehyung’s hips and then he’s cumming, filling Jeongguk, hips stuttering. But it’s the moment that he cums does he open his mouth wider, breathing harshly through his mouth and blowing hot air on Jeongguk’s skin to alert him. And even if he tenses, Taehyung sinks his teeth into the tender skin above Jeongguk’s collar, bodies locked together in ecstasy. 

 

It’s the most intense sensation that Jeongguk’s ever experienced in his life. He  _ feels _ Taehyung’s teeth break his skin, sinking in deep enough that he’ll bear the mark for the rest of his life; and the pain of it is so white hot that the next breath he draws in sounds like a sob and he cums between their bellies hard enough that it feels like he passes out. 

 

He’s so light, almost like he’s floating above his own body that he barely registers Taehyung pulling away, lapping over the wound on his neck apologetically. His fingers and toes feel numb, but his legs are shaking; everything tingles like pins and needles. 

 

Taehyung licks up the blood on Jeongguk’s skin until he’s barely bleeding, red teeth indentations scarring his skin in the most beautiful way. The alpha is breathless, nuzzling his cheek against Jeongguk’s soothingly, brushing back his bangs. 

 

“It. . . didn’t hurt too much?” he asks tenderly, kissing the corner of Jeongguk’s mouth. There’s the slight metallic tang of blood, but Jeongguk doesn’t shy away from the taste.

 

“No. . .” Jeongguk breathes, still flying high on the rush of endorphins. “Was perfect. Love you, Tae.”

 

“I love you, Kook, all the way to the end,” Taehyung hums, fingers ghosting over the bite. “You're going to look so pretty with this mark.  _ My  _ mark.”

 

With a shaky hand, Jeongguk reaches up, pressing his palm to the back of Taehyung’s hand, blinking until he can focus on where the alpha’s face hovers over him. “Yours, forever.”

 

“Forever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooww. Ok. 
> 
> *deep breath*
> 
> This fic started almost four months ago. It's been our source of attention for that long, and it's also our baby. 
> 
> Thank you so, so much for the support in that time and showing a lot of love for these two goofs. At times, we've felt lost with what to do next, but whatever BS we spewed out, you have all loved it and we're so thankful. <3 For our first Taekook-centric fic since late 2016, we've fallen even more in love with Taekook and this was so refreshing to write. While we are a little sad about it ending, all good things must come to an end, and we're very pleased with what we have for a fic. It's time to move on, and start things we've held off in place of this fic. We'll keep the best memories of writing this and try to be even better writers the next time around :) 
> 
> Again, we're thankful for the support and love and we feed off of it. It inspires us to keep going!! We're always worried that maybe what we write won't be good enough, that maybe it might disappoint you guys and us, but any positive comments have is feeling confident in what we do :) So thank you from the bottom of our hearts <3
> 
> As always, continue leaving those positive comments and asking us questions, even if they're hypothetical. Ask us here, on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas) , or our CuriousCat! We're very active on Twitter so to interact with us, go there! You'll also receive all of the updates on fics and what's next. ;)
> 
> Our next project will be a smut Yoonminseok vampire oneshot, and then our next fic that we've been DYING to write for 6+ months, our Yoonmin fantasy arranged marriage au. The moodboard is [here](https://twitter.com/bangtanbananas/status/980129243802763265) and we'll be posting more about it within the next month or two! We're going back to our roots :')
> 
> For now, we say goodbye. We'll see all of you again soon hopefully! Thank you for reading Eclipse!! <3


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